By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: For the first time since the 1975-77 Emergency, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has incorporated a dedicated section on the period into its Class 9 Social Science curriculum, marking a significant shift in the way modern Indian political history is taught in schools.
The chapter has been included in the newly released textbook Understanding Society: India and Beyond (Grade 9, Part 1) as part of the ongoing curriculum reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
NCERT describes the Emergency as one of the most serious challenges faced by India’s democratic system, noting that the period witnessed the suspension of several Fundamental Rights, restrictions on civil liberties, press censorship and the postponement of elections.
The inclusion is considered a major curricular change because discussions on the Emergency were previously confined largely to senior secondary classes, particularly Class 12 Political Science. With the revised syllabus, students will now be introduced to the topic much earlier in their academic journey.
According to the textbook, the Emergency period serves as an important case study for understanding constitutional values, democratic institutions and the importance of safeguarding civil liberties. The chapter forms part of a broader section examining both the strengths and challenges of India’s democratic framework.
The curriculum update comes as the country marks 51 years since the Emergency was proclaimed on June 25, 1975. Historians regard the 21-month period, which lasted until March 1977, as one of the most consequential phases in independent India’s political history.
Officials said the revised curriculum aligns with the objectives of NEP 2020, which seeks to promote critical thinking, civic awareness and a deeper understanding of India’s constitutional and democratic evolution. The new Social Science textbooks place greater emphasis on citizenship, governance and the functioning of democratic institutions.
Education experts believe the move will help students engage with important historical events at an earlier stage and develop a more nuanced understanding of India’s democratic journey.
The introduction of the Emergency chapter is among several changes being implemented as part of NCERT’s comprehensive textbook overhaul aimed at making school education more multidisciplinary, competency-based and rooted in contemporary and historical realities.