New Delhi, Jun 25: More than five decades after the Emergency was imposed in India, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has, for the first time, introduced a chapter on the 1975-77 Emergency in its Class 9 Social Science textbook, describing it as “one of the major challenges” to Indian democracy during which a majority of Fundamental Rights were suspended.
The reference appears in the newly developed Social Science textbook, Understanding Society: India and Beyond, where the Emergency has been included in a chapter examining the strengths and challenges of Indian democracy. An NCERT official confirmed that this is the first time the topic has been included in a Class 9 textbook.
The inclusion comes as the country recently marked 50 years since the proclamation of the Emergency in 1975.
The textbook states that growing public dissatisfaction with the government led by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the early 1970s, rising unemployment, inflation and allegations of misgovernance triggered widespread protests.
It notes that a National Emergency was imposed in June 1975 on the grounds of internal disturbance. “During this period, a majority of Fundamental Rights were suspended, the press was censored, and numerous political leaders and activists were arrested. Democratic institutions came under severe strain, and citizens’ freedom was restricted,” the textbook says.
The chapter also highlights the role of Jayaprakash Narayan in leading the movement against the Emergency, stating that his mass movements mobilised students and citizens, particularly in Bihar and Gujarat. It adds that the Emergency was lifted in 1977, followed by general elections in which the defeat of the ruling government demonstrated the resilience of Indian democracy and reaffirmed the importance of democratic values.
The Emergency section is part of a broader discussion on challenges facing democracy. The textbook also identifies fake news, misinformation, damage to public property, violation of public rules, poverty, regionalism, social discrimination and gender inequality as key challenges to democratic functioning.
A new section titled “Democracy and You” has also been introduced to help students relate classroom learning to their responsibilities as citizens and participants in democratic processes.
The revised textbook further emphasises India’s democratic traditions and institutions, tracing democratic practices to early historical periods and examining their relevance in present-day governance.
It also includes a dedicated section on the media, describing it as the “fourth pillar of democracy” and highlighting its role in raising public concerns and safeguarding democratic values.
To illustrate the scale of India’s democratic system, the book notes that the country had over 96.8 crore registered voters in 2024 and highlights its extensive polling infrastructure. It also features case studies of grassroots democracy, including a panchayat in Gujarat and a women-friendly panchayat in Tripura, along with a separate section on women’s voting rights and reservation in local bodies. (Agencies)
