New Delhi, March 13: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is transforming English textbooks for Indian school students, focusing on indigenous and Indian knowledge systems. This new curriculum will be introduced to students within the current academic year.
NCERT has implemented significant changes to English textbooks. From now on, Indian scholars will be prioritized over foreign authors in the preparation of these textbooks.
In the Class 9 English textbook, NCERT has made extensive revisions. Educators believe these changes have resulted in a more precise and concise syllabus. The revised textbook places greater emphasis on Indian literature, featuring a chapter by nominated Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy. It also includes works from renowned Indian authors like Rabindranath Tagore.
An NCERT official stated that the previous version of the textbook contained 29 chapters, which have now been reduced to 16. Notably, 15 of the original chapters were authored by foreign or international writers. This trend persisted from the 2006-07 academic year until 2025-26, but it has now been altered.
Officials indicate that the number of English textbooks has also been reduced from two to one. The new Class 9 English textbook is titled “Kaveri.” Its first chapter is adapted from Sudha Murthy’s book, “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories,” published in 2004.
All textbooks have been developed in accordance with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023. In addition to Sudha Murthy, the textbook includes works from several other Indian authors, such as the great Tamil poet Subramania Bharati, Naga writer Temsula Ao, celebrated poet Rabindranath Tagore, and Assamese novelist Mitra Phukan.
NCERT officials emphasize that the new textbooks prioritize Indian knowledge systems (IKS). Among the 16 chapters in the English textbook, eight are authored by Indian writers, while six are contributions from international authors.
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