NCERT includes Emergency chapter in Class 9 textbook for first time
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New Delhi, June 25: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has, for the first time, introduced the Emergency in a Class 9 Social Science textbook, nearly 50 years after it was imposed in India.
The new textbook, Understanding Society: India and Beyond, presents the Emergency as a major challenge to the country’s democratic system. NCERT officials said this is the first time the subject has been included in a Class 9 textbook.
The chapter appears in a section on the achievements and challenges of democracy and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, which was imposed in 1975. It outlines the political and social background to the decision and examines its impact on democratic institutions and civil liberties.
According to the textbook, public dissatisfaction had been building in the early 1970s amid rising unemployment, high inflation and concerns over governance. These issues triggered protests and political unrest in several parts of the country.
The book says a National Emergency was declared in June 1975 on grounds of internal disturbance. During the 21-month period that followed, constitutional freedoms were curtailed, press censorship was enforced and several opposition leaders and activists were detained. It adds that democratic institutions came under pressure and citizens faced restrictions on their rights and freedoms.
The chapter also highlights the role of veteran leader and social reformer Jayaprakash Narayan, or Lok Nayak, in mobilising opposition to the Emergency. It says movements led by him brought together students, youth groups and citizens, especially in Bihar and Gujarat, to build a wider campaign for democratic reforms.
The text notes that the Emergency was lifted in 1977, after which general elections were held. It says the results reflected the resilience of India’s democratic framework, as voters used the ballot to bring about political change.
Apart from the Emergency, the revised textbook also discusses contemporary challenges facing democracy, including misinformation, fake news, poverty, regional divisions, social discrimination and gender inequality. A new section titled “Democracy and You” has been added to help students understand democratic values and their responsibilities as citizens.
The book also covers India’s democratic institutions, the role of media as the “fourth pillar of democracy,” voter participation, polling systems and grassroots democracy through panchayats. It further includes sections on women’s voting rights and reservations in local bodies.
(Inputs from IANS)