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NCERT Reconstitutes Political Science Textbook Panel for Classes 11 and 12

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has reconstituted its textbook development committee responsible for creating political science textbooks for classes 11 and 12. The committee has been tasked with embedding cultural rootedness, inclusion, and Indian knowledge systems into the curriculum, with distinct completion deadlines set for November this year and July of next year.

What Happened

According to an NCERT notification released by Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani, the newly appointed textbook development team will prepare the Class 11 political science textbook by November and finalize the Class 12 volume by July next year. Academic and political analyst Sandeep Shastri, who serves as vice-president of Nitte, a Karnataka-based deemed university, has been appointed to lead the textbook development committee.

Documented backgrounds indicate that at least four members of the reconstituted group possess past or present ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), its student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Key Highlights

  • Panel Leadership: Academician Sandeep Shastri heads the textbook development committee.
  • Deadlines: The Class 11 textbook is slated for completion by November, while the Class 12 book is scheduled for July next year.
  • Curricular Focus: The team is instructed to integrate core cross-cutting themes, including cultural rootedness, Indian knowledge systems, inclusion, educational technology, and modern assessment practices.
  • Members with Documented Political and Institutional Links:
    • Yadunath Deshpande: Currently a senior consultant with the Ministry of Education, former ABVP joint state organising secretary for Maharashtra and Mumbai-Konkan organising secretary, and listed as a BJP political consultant on LinkedIn.
    • Prashant Divekar: Associated with Pune-based Jnana Prabodhini (an RSS-affiliated body founded in 1962 by RSS pracharak Vinayak Vishwanath), a contributor to the National Curriculum Framework, with an approach rooted in Bhartiya educational philosophy.
    • Vandana Mishra: Professor at JNU’s Centre for Political Studies and former national secretary of the ABVP.
    • Ravi Rameshchandra Shukla: Associate Professor at JNU’s Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory, former editorial board member of a journal published by RSS-affiliate Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, and principal investigator of an ICSSR-funded research project on spiritual and cultural nationalism in Kumbha and Magh Mela.
  • Other Committee Members: The team also features Prakash Kandpal (JNU), Needhi Gupta (National Law University), Chetan Singhai (Chanakya University), Sukanshika Vatsa (Delhi University), Satish Kumar (IGNOU), Deevanshu Shrivastava (NUSRL), Pranav Gupta (Jindal Global Law School), Nanda Kishor (Pondicherry University), Swapna Prabhu (Utkal University), Savita Sagar (NCERT), M.N. Suresh Kumar, Diana Isabel, and N. Bharani.
  • Coordination: Vanthangpui Khobung and Subhash Singh of the NCERT serve as member coordinator and co-coordinator, respectively.

Why This Matters

The overhaul of the political science curriculum directly shapes how higher secondary students across India study political concepts, governance, and national traditions. Under the guidance outlined by NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani, the team will consult curricular area groups covering social science, languages, Indian knowledge systems, environmental education, innovative pedagogy, and teaching-learning materials. This consultative structure is intended to ensure interdisciplinary linkages across subjects, smooth transitions between grades, and the application of multilingual viewpoints.

What to Watch Next

The textbook development panel will proceed with drafting both volumes according to the specified timeline. The draft of the Class 11 textbook is anticipated by November, followed by the Class 12 textbook by July next year. Reviews will subsequently take place to evaluate how successfully the mandate regarding cultural rootedness, educational technology, assessment, and Indian knowledge systems has been addressed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is leading the new NCERT political science textbook team?

The panel is led by academic and political analyst Sandeep Shastri, who is the vice-president of Nitte, a deemed university located in Karnataka.

What are the set timelines for the new textbooks?

The Class 11 political science textbook is scheduled to be completed by November, and the Class 12 textbook is due in July next year.

What core themes must the team integrate into the curriculum?

The committee is mandated by NCERT to incorporate Indian knowledge systems, cultural rootedness, inclusion, educational technology, and appropriate assessment methods across the textbooks.

Source: Based on reporting originally published by The Hindu.