Guwahati: In what has triggered a major controversy and outrage among conservationists and educators, a class 4 NCERT maths textbook has displayed surprising illustrations and misinformation about Indian rhinoceroses.The controversy has started over a chapter titled—-“1000s Around Us”, which showcases an Indian rhino — with two horns — a serious error, as the species is globally known for its one horn.The textbook has further added fuel to controversy by propagating a myth that rhino horns have “medicinal value,” a myth long debunked but still responsible for large-scale poaching of the endangered species. It is significant that the myth about rhino horns have largely been responsible for pushing the animal to the brink of extinction.The Wildlife conservationist Bibhab Kumar Talukdar expressed grave concern. He told reporters, “The NCERT book not only wrongly depicts the Indian rhino with two horns, but also dangerously states that its horn has medicinal value. This kind of content could unwittingly promote illegal wildlife trade among impressionable young readers.”The social media is also flooded with condemnation and protest. “According to NCERT, rhino horns have ‘medicinal’ values. Perpetuating among young kids the myth that leads to poaching. The editors need not only blacklisting but also legal action,” posted National Award-winning filmmaker Uttpal Borpujari on social media.In another social media post Udoy Bhaskar Borah, pointed out the glaring visual error, noting, “In the recently published NCERT Class 4 maths textbook, an Indian rhino is shown to have two horns (Pg 45). Such mistakes are not acceptable in an NCERT textbook.”While NCERT has been pushing for cross-disciplinary learning — blending subjects like maths with environmental awareness — experts argue that accuracy cannot be compromised in the process. The textbook section, which also features heritage sites like the Thousand Pillars Temple and mentions India’s 1,000 festivals, attempts to weave cultural and environmental themes into a numbers lesson. But in the case of the rhino, the facts went terribly wrong.The textbook has also cited flood as a threat whereas conservationists point out it as part of the ecological balance that helps rhino populations flourish in the long run. Mr Talukdar noted that despite multiple floods, Kaziranga National Park in Assam has seen its rhino population rise from 366 in 1966 to around 2,600 now. India’s total rhino population in the wild has now exceeded 4,000, thanks to aggressive conservation measures and anti-poaching campaigns.As the backlash grows, conservationists have demanded a swift revision or withdrawal of the textbook and greater scrutiny of educational content.
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