Descendants from notable Maratha royal lineages, along with various citizens, have initiated a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) over its recent decision to eliminate the map of the Maratha empire from the Class 8 social science curriculum.
The petitioners, represented by Advocate Ashishraje Gaikwad, submitted their PIL to the Bombay High Court, expressing that they are “profoundly disheartened” by NCERT’s “unilateral, arbitrary, non-transparent, and procedurally flawed decision” to exclude the map from the social science syllabus, which is taught in Hindi, Urdu, and English within the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) framework.
Among those who signed the petition are Raje Mudhojirao Raje Ajitsinghrao Bhonsle from Nagpur, Shivaji Dattatray Rajé Jadhav, a descendant of Rajmata Jijamata, the mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and Raghujiraje Shahjiraje Angre from Raigad, alongside other concerned citizens.
The petitioners argued that the decision was made “without reviewing historical records or completing the mandated assessment by the high-powered committee (HPC).” They contended that the action was influenced by political pressure rather than based on objective historical analysis. This, they claimed, violated their rights, as well as the rights of countless others, to receive accurate education, preserve cultural identity, acknowledge historical truth, and ensure equality before the law.
The litigation seeks to overturn NCERT’s decision and restore the Maratha empire map and relevant historical information in the NCERT textbooks.
According to the petition, NCERT released its revised textbook in July 2025 as part of an updated National Curriculum Framework. This textbook included a map illustrating the Maratha Empire’s extent as of 1759 CE.
The petition detailed that the map represented the Maratha Empire as “extending from Thanjavur in the south to Peshawar in the north, and from Cuttack (Odisha) in the east to significant areas in Rajputana, such as Jaisalmer, Mewar (Udaipur), and Bundi in the west.”
A member of the Jaisalmer royal family also raised concerns about the depiction of Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha empire, labeling it as “historically misleading.”
In response, NCERT clarified that the map depicted territories under direct Maratha control, including tributary states and regions governed through temporary agreements or influence. The clarification noted that a disclaimer about approximate borders, which was included in the Class 7 textbook, should have also appeared in the Class 8 edition.
On August 11, 2025, NCERT established a high-powered committee of experts in reaction to protests from Rajasthan’s royal families and political figures. The PIL stated that during its initial meeting that month, the committee acknowledged the issue was “controversial and complex.” Furthermore, in September 2025, Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale, a committee member, passed away, leaving the committee incomplete.
The petitioners alleged that the committee continued its proceedings without appointing a history expert to fill Mehendale’s position and decided to exclude or withdraw the map from the Hindi edition “without analyzing any historical records.”
Between October of the previous year and April 2026, the PIL claimed that NCERT “quietly and without public announcement” removed the map from all versions. In March 2026, the Maharashtra Government reached out to the Centre requesting the map’s restoration.
The petitioners also submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request for detailed explanations regarding the map’s removal. They raised “serious concerns about the legality of the decision” by filing formal complaints with the relevant authorities before resorting to the Bombay High Court.
