NEW DELHI: In keeping with the times, an upgraded and modernised textbook for Grade VII has been released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), an autonomous organisation under the Education Ministry, on Tuesday (June 10).
The economics section has seen a major revamp with latest developments including digital payment incorporated in it. NCERT books are used by the CBSE for its students with a few State governments also adopting them.
The social science textbook titled `Exploring Society: India and Beyond', which incorporates History, Geography and Economics with colour photographs and modern examples was released online.
Speaking to The New Indian Express about the changes being made, Srishti Chauhan, Young Professional, of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said, “We have updated the syllabus in tune with the times in the just completed Part-I book for Class VII which has been uploaded online. It would be adopted by the CBSE for the academic year 2025-2026. Part-II is getting ready now. We are also updating both the parts for Class VIII for this academic year.”
The syllabus being studies by students so far had many aspects which were outdated in a modern India. “In the economic section, there are two portions. For instance, in the `Barter to Market’section, the previous syllabus spoke of cowrie shells being used as a tool for exchange. A lot has changed in the country over the years. Hence, we have introduced Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and other features of Digital India in the upgraded syllabus.”
Additionally, we have also introduced aspects pertaining to the Hindu tradition in it. “For instance, in some Southern States when a woman purchases turmeric, the shopkeeper adds something extra when he hands it over to the customer as it is considered an auspicious purchase. This would help better understand different traditions,” Chauhan said.
Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Council and economist, in a post on X said, “We have broken away from old poverty and gratefully colonised narratives.I have primarily looked at the economic segment where the old textbooks (from 2012) were deliberately designed from povertarian narratives - images of partition refugee schools, technology was steam engines, the chapter on markets was about how fair price shops and how shopkeepers were hoarding and chapter on finance was all about women’s self-help groups.”
Sanyal also shared the first look of the NCERT book on his X handle.