NCERT Class 9 Textbook Shades Dancing Girl Figurine

A newly published arts textbook for Class 9 students in India has altered the depiction of the iconic "Dancing Girl" bronze figurine from the ancient Indus Valley city of Mohenjo-Daro, covering its torso with shading. The change has sparked criticism from a senior academic involved in textbook development, who called it a misrepresentation of a historical artifact.

The alteration appears in the opening chapter of "Madhurima," a new arts education textbook released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The image shows the 10.5-centimeter-tall figurine with its upper body shaded, obscuring the anatomical details visible in the original sculpture, which is nude except for a necklace and bangles. Notably, the same artifact appears in its original, unaltered form in NCERT's Class 6 Social Science textbook.

Michel Danino, who chaired the textbook development committee for the Class 6 Social Science books, said he was previously told the image of the Dancing Girl was considered "not age-appropriate" for younger students, a rationale his team disputed after consulting teachers. Reacting to the altered image in the Class 9 book, Danino expressed disbelief....