‘Preamble Is Still There’: NCERT Clarifies Curricular Changes Amid Controversy Over Class 9 Social Science Textbook
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has dismissed allegations regarding the complete removal of the Preamble to the Constitution from school books, calling such claims "misleading." The clarification comes in response to public concerns and political debates surrounding changes made to the newly released Class 9 Social Science textbook.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has dismissed allegations regarding the complete removal of the Preamble to the Constitution from school books, calling such claims "misleading." The clarification comes in response to public concerns and political debates surrounding changes made to the newly released Class 9 Social Science textbook.
According to sources within the NCERT speaking to ANI, the curriculum has undergone a structured redesign under the updated National Curriculum Framework (NCF). As part of this overhaul, educational content and topics have been systematically redistributed across different grade levels rather than being condensed into a single textbook. NCERT's New Class 9 Book Cites Manusmriti, Says Women Enjoyed High Status in Vedic Period.
The council clarified that the Preamble continues to be prominently featured in the opening pages of all newly printed NCERT textbooks, including the entire range of Social Science publications. Furthermore, the Preamble remains a core component of the formal Class 10 syllabus.
Addressing concerns over the omission of specific terminology in the updated Class 9 material, NCERT sources noted that foundational constitutional values—such as secularism, justice, liberty, and socialism—are already introduced to students in younger cohorts. These concepts are taught primarily in Grades 6 to 8, with a specific focus in the Grade 7 Social Science curriculum, and will be revisited with greater depth in Grade 10. NCERT Adds 1975 Emergency to Class 9 Social Science Book, Calls It a Major Challenge to Democracy.
‘Preamble Is Still There’
The restructuring is part of an ongoing effort to integrate subjects under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. For the current academic session, the NCERT has transitioned from printing separate booklets for History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics in Class 9, moving instead toward a single, unified volume designed to streamline cross-disciplinary learning.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 27, 2026 02:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).