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NCERT’s Class 9 Textbook Reorients History Toward Indigenous Resistance and Resilience
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New Textbook Launch Emphasizes Indigenous Conflict Narratives
On September 29, 2026, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) released the second part of its Grade 9 Social Science series, *Understanding Society – India and Beyond (Part 2)*. The revised edition replaces chapters on European revolutions with a “Resistance and Resilience” unit that chronicles invasions of the Indian subcontinent from the 7th century onward and highlights defensive actions of regional kingdoms, women rulers, and religious traditions.
Historical Scope and Thematic Focus
The textbook frames foreign incursions—Arab, Turkish, Mughal, and European—as driven by “territorial expansion and religious motives.” It links the subcontinent’s agricultural surplus to its attractiveness as a target. The narrative spans 1000 – 1700 CE, covering:
- Early Arab raids and the 1001 Ghazni invasion of Jayapala.
- Turkish incursions in the 11th–12th centuries, contrasted with a relatively untouched peninsular India.
- The Delhi Sultanate’s iqta land-revenue system and its impact on peasants.
- Mughal expansion and its contested relationship with Sikh Gurus.
Highlighted Figures, Traditions, and Regional Movements
The book lists rulers and communities cited for defending sovereignty:
- Annamaraja of Bastar – reputedly received a sword from Manikyadevi.
- Kumara Kampana of Vijayanagara – wielded a goddess-gifted sword against Sultanate forces at Madurai.
- Chhatrapati Shivaji – linked to a sword from Tulja Bhavani.
- Queen Naiki Devi of the Chaulukya kingdom – defeated Muhammad Ghori at Kasahrada in 1178.
- Rudrama Devi of the Kakatiya dynasty – resisted the Delhi Sultanate.
- Rani Abbakka Chowta of Ullal – repelled Portuguese naval attacks.
- Jat leaders such as Gokul Jat (1669) and zamindars of Sinsini and Sogar (1686), whose uprisings responded to Mughal taxation.
- Ahom commander Lachit Borphukan – celebrated for the 1671 Battle of Saraighat.
- Maharana Pratap – highlighted for the 1582 Battle of Dewair and the Battle of Haldighati.
The textbook stresses the cultural role of goddess worship (Kali, Durga, Bhavani) in legitimizing martial resistance and portrays temples as economic and political hubs.
Portrayal of Mughal–Sikh Relations
A subsection describes Mughal persecution of Sikh Gurus, citing the execution of Guru Arjan Dev under Jahangir, the detention of Guru Hargobind, and the 1675 execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur under Aurangzeb. It links these events to the emergence of collective Sikh armed resistance, the establishment of the Akal Takht, and the formation of the Khalsa in 1699.
Official Statements & Responses
NCERT chief Dinesh Saklani said the revision aims to cultivate analytical abilities, encourage critical inquiry, promote intercultural understanding, and enable responsible civic participation. He emphasized that the new chapter places related themes together for age-appropriate study.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Social Science learning at this (secondary) stage is expected to cultivate analytical and discursive abilities, encourage critical inquiry, promote intercultural understanding, and enable learners to participate with confidence and responsibility in civic and social life” — Dinesh Saklani
- “In 1675, Aurangzeb ordered the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru. The martyrdom proved a turning point in Indian history.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Outlets—including *India Times*, *New Indian Express*, *The Hindu*, *ThePrint*, and *IndiaToday*—agree on the textbook’s core content, release date, and thematic shift. None provide quantitative data on how the new curriculum will be evaluated in classrooms.
Anticipated Educational Impact
By foregrounding indigenous resistance, women leaders, and religious traditions, the textbook seeks to reshape students’ understanding of Indian history away from a Eurocentric framework. The inclusion of regional case studies and the “resistance and resilience” framing may influence future curricula’s balance of national and localized narratives.