NCERT Class 9 Book Features Ram Rajya, NEP and Sengol in New Social Sciences Textbook

Class 9 students in India are now studying topics like 'Ram Rajya', the Sengol, and recent government policies under a newly released social sciences textbook.

Textbook Content

The 153-page textbook was released on Tuesday and is titled Understanding Society: India and Beyond. It combines history and political science into single chapters rather than using separate books for each subject. Chapter 4 focuses specifically on 'Governance and Public Policy'. This chapter notes that India's governance ideas have evolved from ancient texts, epics, and institutions like sabha and samiti to a modern constitutional democracy.

Policies and Schemes

The textbook highlights several Central government programmes. It describes the National Education Policy 2020 as an example of public policy, mentioning that it involved consultations across 2.5 lakh gram panchayats, 6,600 blocks, 6,000 urban local bodies, and 676 districts, drawing about 2 lakh suggestions. Other included initiatives are the National Health Policy 2017, Khelo Bharat Niti launched in 2025, Startup India, Atma Nirbhar Bharat, Viksit Bharat 2047, Swachh Bharat Mission, Right to Education, PM Poshan, Digital India, and Jal Jeevan.

Historical and Cultural References

The book cites governance examples from the Chola dynasty, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, the Mundaka Upanishads, and Kautilya's Arthashastra. It explains that Mahatma Gandhi viewed 'Ram Rajya' as an ideal model rooted in transparency, welfare, and compassion. Additionally, the text discusses the Sengol as a cultural marker of righteous governance, noting its presentation by Tamil Nadu Adheenam saints to Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 and its placement in the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023.

Context

School textbooks in India are periodically revised by educational bodies like NCERT to reflect updated curricula, teaching methods, and contemporary policy frameworks. These revisions often balance traditional historical narratives with current national initiatives to shape how students learn about civic structures and public administration.