The well-known Dancing Girl bronze figurine from Mohenjo Daro, a 4,500-year-old artifact long shown in Indian school materials, has been modified in a new Class 9 art textbook released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training. The updated image shows the figure in a darker tone with additional coverage on the torso compared to prior versions. This illustration appears in NCERT’s initial arts education series for grades 1 to 10, developed under the National Education Policy and National Curriculum Framework. Books for classes 1 through 9 have been issued to promote arts integration in regular schooling. The original 10.5 cm statuette, unearthed at Mohenjo Daro, portrays a nude form adorned only with bangles and a necklace. NCERT received no immediate reply to comment requests, yet an official stated the concern was forwarded to the textbook team for review. The same official noted the figure remains unaltered in the grade 6 social science textbook. This represents another instance of debate over the artifact’s presentation. In 2023 a museum expo mascot inspired by the figurine drew criticism for changes including lighter skin tone and added garments.
