NCERT Class 9 social science curriculum revision

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released Part 2 of the new Class 9 Social Science textbook, ‘Understanding Society: India and Beyond’. This release is part of a transition toward an integrated curriculum following the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.

The new textbook includes a chapter titled ‘Resistance and Resilience (1000 CE–1700 CE)’, which examines political, military, and cultural developments of regional kingdoms. The content highlights themes such as sovereignty, alliances, the Bhakti tradition, and resistance to Arab and Turkish invasions.

Further details regarding the text note that it documents religious traditions in warfare, describing how various Indian rulers invoked goddesses like Kali, Durga, and Bhavani as protectors. Specific historical accounts mentioned include the ruler of Bastar receiving a sword from Manikyadevi, Kumara Kampana of Vijayanagara using a goddess-given sword against Sultanate forces, and Shivaji obtaining a sword from the goddess Tulja Bhavani. NCERT chief Dinesh Saklani stated the curriculum aims to foster ‘analytical abilities, critical inquiry, and intercultural understanding’.