Titled Understanding Society: India and Beyond – Part 2, the new edition is part of the updated curriculum for the 2026–27 academic session. It aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.
New Chapter – ‘Resistance and Resilience (1000 CE–1700 CE)’: This chapter frames the medieval period as one in which Indian society defended itself from external threats while preserving its traditions. It covers political, military and cultural responses to invasions and territorial expansion.
Shift from European Revolutions: Chapters on European revolutions (including the French and Russian Revolutions) that featured in earlier editions have been removed from Class 9. Related content has been moved to Class 10.
Focus on Regional Resistance: The book highlights resistance by regional powers and communities against Arab, Turkish, Delhi Sultanate and Mughal expansions. Examples include:
Queen Naiki Devi of the Chalukya kingdom and her victory over Muhammad Ghuri at the Battle of Kasahrada (1178).
Resistance by the Yadavas, Kakatiyas, Hoysalas, Rajputs, Ahoms (including the Battle of Saraighat, 1671), Marathas, Sikhs and Jats.
Relations between the Mughal state and Sikh Gurus, including the executions of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur.
Broader Themes: The chapter also examines alliances and confederacies, art and architecture, languages and literature, the Bhakti tradition, forts and fortifications, and the expansion of the Indian economy and state.
The textbook notes that resistance took both military and cultural forms and that the period should be understood as one of both conflict and cooperation, rather than solely as a narrative of subjugation.
The book became available for purchase from 29 September 2026 through NCERT Publication Division outlets, the official NCERT website, authorised vendors and platforms such as Amazon.
This revision continues NCERT’s ongoing effort to restructure Social Science learning by integrating history, geography, political science and economics into a more coherent, India-centric framework suitable for secondary-stage students.