🔥 Trending NCERT Textbooks: Latest Updates and Controversies

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been at the center of several news developments recently, primarily concerning curriculum changes, textbook revisions, and related controversies.

Key Updates and Changes

Curriculum Revisions Under NEP 2020

NCERT is actively implementing changes in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This involves a phased rollout of new textbooks. The timeline for these new textbooks is set to be fully implemented between 2026 and 2028, with significant updates for Classes 9, 10, and 11 ⁵.

Notable Textbook Content Changes

Recent revisions to NCERT textbooks have sparked considerable discussion. Some of the most significant changes include:

• Addition of Emergency: A new Class 9 Social Science textbook introduces a discussion on the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975-77 ⁴⁷.
• Removal of Preamble and Secularism: The new Class 9 Social Science textbook has reportedly dropped references to the Preamble of the Constitution and the term "Secularism" from the introductory pages ⁴.
• Reduction of Mughal History: There has been a reduction in the content related to Mughal history in various textbooks ⁷.
• Revision of Gandhi Assassination References: References to Mahatma Gandhi's assassination have been revised ⁷.
• Dropping Evolution and Gujarat Riots: Content related to Darwin's theory of evolution and the 2002 Gujarat riots has been removed from certain textbooks ⁷.
• Recall of Class 8 Social Science Textbook: NCERT issued a media advisory regarding the recall of the Class 8 Social Science textbook, "Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science Grade 8 Part 2" ⁹.

These changes are part of a broader effort to align the curriculum with the NEP 2020 framework and have generated both support and debate among educators and the public ⁷⁸.

Piracy and Unauthorized Textbooks

NCERT has flagged the circulation of unauthorized and pirated copies of its textbooks. This includes fake Class 9 Social Science books being distributed across social media networks ³. NCERT has urged the public to be vigilant and only use official publications to ensure accuracy and authenticity ³.

Availability of New Textbooks

New NCERT books for Class 9 for the academic year 2026-27 are expected to be available for download in PDF format for all subjects, including Science, Maths, SST, English, Hindi, and Sanskrit, incorporating the latest syllabus and changes ¹⁰.

These developments highlight NCERT's ongoing efforts to update its educational materials, while also navigating challenges related to content revisions and intellectual property protection.