Mumbai, March 11: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced a new English textbook for Class 9, featuring a significant inclusion of works by Indian authors. This updated syllabus aims to provide a more balanced representation of both Indian and foreign literature while reducing the overall content.
The new textbook includes contributions from renowned Indian writers such as Tamil poet Subramania Bharati, author Sudha Murty, Naga writer Temsula Ao, Rabindranath Tagore, and Assamese novelist Mitra Phukan.
Previously, students studied two separate books from 2006-07 to 2025-26, which contained 15 out of 29 works by foreign authors. The revised syllabus now comprises a total of 16 chapters, with an equal representation of Indian and foreign literature.
Officials have stated that the two textbooks have been consolidated into one, simplifying the learning process for students.
The new English textbook, titled ‘Kaveri,’ begins with a chapter from Sudha Murty’s book ‘How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories’ (2004).
The syllabus is designed based on the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and will replace the previous books ‘Beehive’ and ‘Moments.’
In this new edition, there are eight chapters from Indian authors and six from foreign writers, including David Roth, Charles Swain, Bryna T. Perkins, Robert Langley, Maya Anthony, and Irene Chua.
Additionally, the textbook features an interview with Paralympic athlete Deepa Malik, along with a poem titled ‘Gifts of Grace: Honouring Our Vocations’ and a chapter titled ‘The World of Limitless Possibilities.’