For the first time, the Emergency period of 1975-77 has been included in an NCERT Class 9 textbook, with the new Social Science book describing it as one of the biggest challenges faced by Indian democracy.
The topic features in Understanding Society: India and Beyond, where it is discussed under a chapter on the strengths and challenges of democracy. An NCERT official said this is the first instance of the Emergency being part of the Class 9 curriculum. The inclusion comes as the country marks 50 years since the Emergency was declared in 1975.
The textbook says the Emergency was among the major tests of India’s democratic system. It notes that public discontent over unemployment, inflation and allegations of poor governance had led to widespread protests in the early 1970s.
According to the book, a National Emergency was imposed in June 1975 citing “internal disturbance”. It states that several Fundamental Rights were suspended, press censorship was enforced, and many political leaders and activists were detained during the period. The chapter says democratic institutions came under pressure and civil liberties were restricted.
The role of Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as Lok Nayak, has also been highlighted. The textbook mentions that his movement united students and citizens, particularly in Bihar and Gujarat, in protests against the Emergency.
It further notes that the Emergency ended in 1977, after which general elections were conducted. The outcome, it says, reflected the strength and resilience of Indian democracy, as people were able to express their choices through the electoral process.
Apart from the Emergency, the chapter discusses other challenges to democracy, including misinformation, fake news, regionalism, poverty, social discrimination, gender inequality, damage to public property and violations of public rules.
The revised textbook also includes a new section called Democracy and You, which aims to encourage students to understand their responsibilities as active participants in a democratic society.
The book additionally focuses on India’s democratic traditions and institutions, tracing democratic practices to earlier periods of history and explaining their significance in present-day governance.
Another section describes the media as the “fourth pillar of democracy” and emphasises its role in highlighting public issues and safeguarding democratic values.
The chapter also provides information on India’s electoral system, noting that the country had over 96.8 crore registered voters in 2024. It includes examples of grassroots governance through panchayats in Gujarat and Tripura, along with a section on women’s voting rights and reservation in local bodies.