In Assam, academics and the general public have mostly applauded the National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) recent decision to include the Ahom dynasty in the updated Class 8 History textbook. One of India’s longest-ruling dynasties, which had hitherto been disregarded in the country’s scholarly discourse, is finally being acknowledged, according to historians.
The inclusion was described as a “welcome step” toward deeper national integration by Dr. Rajib Handique, a history professor and former dean of Gauhati University. He attributed the action to the heightened awareness during Ahom General Lachit Barphukan’s 400th birthday celebration in 2022.
The inclusion serves to emphasize Assam’s historical accomplishments, which are sometimes overlooked by those outside of the Northeast, according to Dr. Barnali Sarma of Gauhati University. She emphasized how crucial it is to appropriately provide historical background.
Regional forces like the Varmans and Chutiyas should also be represented, Dr. Kuldeep Patowary noted.
Although the judgment was applauded, academics expressed worry over factual errors in the textbook and called for prompt revisions. They underlined that acknowledgment had to be combined with truthfulness and wider participation.
