NCERT Adds Emergency To Class IX Textbook
NCERT has introduced a section on the Emergency period in a Class IX textbook for the first time, describing the 1975-77 period as one of the major challenges faced by Indian democracy.
NCERT Adds Emergency To Class IX Textbook
The new section has been included in NCERT’s newly developed Social Science textbook, Understanding Society: India and Beyond. It appears in a chapter that discusses the strengths of Indian democracy and the challenges it has faced.
The textbook notes that the Emergency was imposed in June 1975 on the grounds of internal disturbance. It says a majority of Fundamental Rights were suspended, the press was censored, and several political leaders and activists were arrested.
Emergency Described As Democratic Challenge
The section explains that democratic institutions came under severe strain during the Emergency, while citizens’ freedoms were restricted. It also refers to the political and social unrest of the early 1970s, including public dissatisfaction over unemployment, inflation and allegations of misgovernance.
The textbook also mentions the role of Jayaprakash Narayan in mobilising opposition to the Emergency, particularly through student and citizen movements in Bihar and Gujarat.
NCERT Textbook Highlights Democratic Values
The section states that the lifting of the Emergency and the 1977 general election result demonstrated the strength of Indian democracy. It places the Emergency alongside other challenges such as misinformation, poverty, regionalism, social discrimination and gender inequality.
The revised textbook also includes a new section titled “Democracy and You”, aimed at helping students connect democratic principles with their responsibilities as citizens.
