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India's NCERT Class 9 textbook adds Emergency chapter, drops Preamble and secularism references

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A new NCERT Class 9 Social Science textbook in India includes a chapter on the Emergency period but omits the Preamble and references to secularism.
  • The changes have sparked a political debate between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.
  • The previous textbook used the Preamble as a central framework for constitutional values, while the new one focuses on the making of the Constitution and fundamental rights.

A newly released National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 9 Social Science textbook has introduced a discussion on the Emergency period imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. However, it omits the Preamble to the Constitution and references to "secular" and "secularism" that were prominent in the previous edition.

The revised textbook, published under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, covers the Constitution's making, democratic institutions, and fundamental rights. While it emphasizes liberty, equality, justice, and fraternity, it does not reproduce the Preamble or explain its terminology. The words "secular" and "secularism" are absent from the volume, with no indication they will be covered in later grades.

future generations should understand the "dark deeds of the Emergency"

— Dharmendra PradhanUnion education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's statement on the inclusion of the Emergency in the textbook.

The inclusion of the Emergency, described as a time when democratic institutions faced severe strain and citizens' freedoms were curtailed, marks its first appearance in the revised Class 9 curriculum. Previously, the Emergency was discussed in NCERT's Class 12 Political Science textbook. The Preamble was a central framework in the earlier Class 9 textbook, Democratic Politics-I, used to introduce students to constitutional values and explain terms like "Sovereign," "Socialist," "Secular," "Democratic," and "Republic."

The changes have ignited a political row, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stating that future generations should understand the "dark deeds of the Emergency." Conversely, the Congress party has alleged that the move is driven by "divisive politics" and constitutes an attack on constitutional values. The Preamble, described in the earlier book as a "poem on democracy," explained secularism as a system where the state respects all faiths equally.

divisive politics" and an attack on constitutional values

— CongressThe Congress party's allegation regarding the reasons behind the textbook changes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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