The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is currently under scrutiny for several inaccuracies in its textbooks, leading to questions about the organisation’s reliability. The troubles began in August 2025, when a historical map in a Class 8 Social Science textbook was revised following objections from historians. Michel Danino, who leads NCERT’s textbook development panel, stated that they remain open to corrections based on further research. This incident marked the beginning of a troubling trend.

In February of the current year, the Supreme Court expressed serious concerns regarding sections of the newly implemented Class 8 Social Science textbook that mentioned corruption in the judiciary. Following the court’s directive, NCERT recognised an “error in judgement” and withdrew the textbook to revise the contentious section. This unplanned halt raised significant concerns about the academic vetting process.

As NCERT continued to roll out new materials aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), teachers identified discrepancies across various subjects and noted differences between different editions. These irregularities prompted additional revisions, amplifying existing doubts among educators and students alike.

Broader Implications of Textbook Errors

One of the most striking developments occurred on June 25, 2026, when NCERT’s latest Social Science textbooks omitted the Preamble to the Constitution while also removing references to secularism and federalism, despite retaining content related to the Emergency. This omission provoked renewed political and academic discussions about the implications of such revisions and how decisions regarding educational content are made.

Similar controversies have emerged in other states, such as Odisha and Karnataka, thereby raising systemic questions regarding the conduct of textbook reviews amid extensive curriculum reforms. While isolated incidents may not significantly undermine NCERT’s long-standing reputation, the cumulative impact of these events suggests a deeper issue regarding public trust in educational content.

Dheeren Joshi, a former NCERT official, emphasised that textbooks are not mere publications but foundational documents that influence how children perceive the world. He argued that maintaining a high accuracy standard is essential, as even minor errors can diminish public confidence.

Quality Control and Systemic Failures

In a notable turn of events earlier this term, NCERT had to revise a Class 8 textbook after a contentious map that inaccurately depicted Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha Empire was flagged by historians. This followed a trend of inconsistencies being reported across various newly revised textbooks, prompting NCERT to warn against fake and pirated versions circulating in the market. These issues collectively cast doubts on the robustness of India’s quality-control frameworks in education.

Complaints emerged from Odisha, where a review uncovered 1,678 errors across 55 newly introduced State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) textbooks for Classes 1 to 8. Some inaccuracies were sheerly absurd, such as misidentifying Isaak Newton as a pilot. This led to calls for enhanced quality assurance measures in educational publications.

On the other hand, Karnataka faced issues regarding representation in educational texts. A newly launched NCERT Kannada textbook faced allegations of ideological bias. NCERT, however, clarified that the title in question referred to the Krishna River rather than the deity. This situation underscores the heightened expectation for textbooks to possess not just factual accuracy but also cultural sensitivity.

The Road Ahead for NCERT

It is important to contextualise that NCERT is amid one of the largest textbook revision efforts in independent India, with the implementation of the NEP 2020 resulting in a significant overhaul of educational materials. Comprehensive changes across multiple grades are currently being executed, which is leading to millions of textbooks being printed and distributed annually.

While NCERT maintains that the revisions are consistent with the new National Curriculum Framework, the removal of core constitutional references has intensified scrutiny regarding educational direction. Stakeholders emphasise the need for thorough fact-checking and independent evaluations before materials are presented to students.

The recent series of events has ignited a broader conversation about maintaining trust in educational institutions. With parents and educators increasingly questioning the reliability of NCERT textbooks, the challenge now lies in ensuring that revisions do not undermine the credibility that NCERT has built over decades.

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