NCERT Textbook Under Fire for ‘Two-Horned’ Rhino & Poaching Myths

A Class 4 NCERT maths textbook has come under fire after a puzzling illustration and misinformation about Indian rhinoceroses triggered widespread outrage among conservationists and educators. The controversy stems from a chapter titled "1000s Around Us", which showcases an Indian rhino — shockingly, with two horns — a serious error, as the species is globally known for its single horn.

Adding fuel to the fire, the textbook also claims that rhino horns have “medicinal value,” a myth long debunked but still responsible for large-scale poaching of the endangered species. Rhino horns are made of keratin — the same substance found in human nails — and have no proven medicinal properties. Yet, this misinformation has historically driven black-market demand, pushing rhinos to the brink of extinction.

Wildlife conservationist Bibhab Kumar Talukdar expressed grave concern, saying, “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.”

Social media has erupted in 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 Utpal Borpujari on X.

Another user, 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.

According to Talukdar, floods — also cited in the textbook as a threat — actually aid natural selection and are part of the ecological balance that helps rhino populations flourish in the long run. He noted that despite multiple floods, Kaziranga National Park in Assam has seen its rhino population rise from 366 in 1966 to around 2,600 today. India’s total wild rhino population now exceeds 4,000, thanks to aggressive conservation measures and anti-poaching campaigns.

Internationally, rhino populations remain under threat. At the start of the 20th century, over 500,000 rhinos roamed the planet. Today, fewer than 28,000 remain in the wild. Trade in rhino horn was banned in 1977 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), but illegal smuggling continues. Between 2016 and 2018 alone, rhino horn trafficking was estimated to be worth $230 million, comprising nearly 29% of all animal smuggling incidents globally, according to the 2024 United Nations World Wildlife Crime Report.

As the backlash grows, conservationists are demanding a swift revision or withdrawal of the textbook and greater scrutiny of educational content. For a species that was once down to just 200 individuals in India and has fought its way back from the brink, a math lesson riddled with dangerous myths is the last thing it needs.

Also Read: "Why Did Past Govts Fail to Protect Rhinos?": Assam CM Slams Opposition