What is the "Emergency Chapter" line? Why NCERT added 'dark acts' in class 9 textbooks | Everything you need to know

Almost 50 years after the Emergency was declared in India, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) introduced the subject for the first time in a Class 9 textbook, describing it as one of the most significant challenges faced by Indian democracy, during which most fundamental rights were suspended.

This topic appears in the newly developed social studies textbook Understanding Society: India and Beyond in a chapter that examines the strengths and challenges of India’s democratic system.

An NCERT official confirmed to ANI that this is the first inclusion of a dedicated section on state of emergency in a class 9 textbook.

Here is what the added NCERT section reads

Inclusion is a significant addition to the school curriculum as the country recently celebrated 50 years since the declaration of emergency in 1975.

“One of the major challenges to democracy in India was recorded when the Emergency was declared in 1975-77. In the early 1970s, public dissatisfaction with the government led by Indira Gandhi grew. Rising unemployment, inflation and allegations of misgovernance led to widespread protests,” it reads in part.

“In June 1975, the government declared a state of national emergency based on internal unrest. During this period, most fundamental rights were suspended, the press was censored, and many political leaders and activists were arrested. Democratic institutions came under severe pressure and the freedom of citizens was curtailed,” it added.

The book also highlighted the role of Jayaprakash Narayan in the anti-Emergency movement.

“Mass movements led by Jayaprakash Narayan – a political leader and socialist thinker, popularly known as Lok Nayak – mobilized students and citizens, especially in Bihar and Gujarat. Emergency was lifted in 1977 and general elections were held which allowed the people to express their will through voting. The defeat of the ruling government demonstrated the strength of Indian democracy and highlighted the importance of Indian democracy.”

What did Pradhan say?

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday lauded the decision of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to include a section on emergency in Class IX textbooks. He said it is important that future generations understand the dark chapter of this period so that such situations never recur, ANI reported.

Here is what Pradhan had to say

Talking to reporters, Pradhan said, “It is true. NCERT has done the right thing. Future generations should know and understand the dark deeds of Emergency so that such a situation does not happen again. That is why NCERT has brought it to the fore. NCERT has done a good job…”

NCERT introduced the subject for the first time in a class 9 textbook and presented it as “one of the major challenges” as most of the fundamental rights were suspended.

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The emergency section is part of a wider discussion of the challenges facing democratic systems. In addition to Emergency, the textbook deals with issues such as fake news, disinformation, damage to public property, violation of public rules, poverty, regionalism, social discrimination and gender inequality as challenges for democratic practice.

Apologize to the youth: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his “terrorist” remark directed at protesting students, saying he must immediately apologize to millions of youth in the country and resign for his “failure”.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said it was the BJP’s policy to call anyone who questioned the government a “traitor”.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said: “Drunken by the arrogance of power, the Modi government has reached the point where the education minister is branding students demanding their rights, fair exams and a secure future as ‘terrorists’.”

“Just think about it: the man whose failures led to so many paper leaks, under whose watch 20 students lost their lives and who cast the future of millions of young people in darkness – today calls aggrieved students and those who raise their voices for them as ‘terrorists,'” the former Congress leader said.

He said this is nothing new and BJP people have also called the farmers who feed the nation “andolanjeevi” and “parasites”.

“They labeled those who raised questions as ‘anti-nationals’. And now they call the youth ‘terrorists’. To label anyone who questions the government as traitors – that is their policy,” Gandhi said.

“Dharmendra Pradhan ji, immediately apologize to millions of youth in this country and resign for your failures,” he said.

“As for me – attack me all you want. I said it in Kota and I say it again: today this education system has become nothing but blackmail blackmail. I will not allow it to remain so. I will never stop raising the demand that every child gets an affordable, quality education and fair examinations,” Gandhi said.