The National Council of Educational Research and Training has restructured a 20-member team. The panel will prepare fresh Political Science textbooks for Classes 11 and 12. Moreover, NCERT has assigned syllabus finalisation to this group. The new curriculum must follow NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023.
Professor Sandeep Shastri will lead the panel. He serves as Vice President at Nitte Deemed University, Bengaluru. He also works as an academic and political analyst. Dr Vanthangpui Khobung and Dr Subhash Singh will serve as member coordinators. They will handle formal communication within the group. They will also explain NCERT meetings and publisher-related rules.
At least four members reportedly have links with RSS, ABVP, or related organisations. Yadunath Deshpande belongs to the Education Ministry’s National Syllabus and Teaching-Learning Material Committee. ABVP records describe his previous Maharashtra and Mumbai-Konkan organisational roles. Dr Prashant Divekar also joins the panel. He heads the Teacher Education Centre and Research Programme at Pune-based Jnana Prabodhini. RSS pracharak Vinayak Vishwanath founded Jnana Prabodhini in 1962.
JNU professor Vandana Mishra also joins the team. She previously served as ABVP’s national secretary. JNU associate professor Dr Ravi Ramesh Chandra Shukla also has an RSS association.
New books get deadlines and multiple review stages
NCERT has fixed separate deadlines for both textbooks. The Class 11 Political Science book has a November 30, 2026 target. Meanwhile, the Class 12 textbook must reach completion by July 30, 2027. The panel will align both books with NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023 curriculum changes.
Experts and teachers from universities, law institutes, open-learning institutes, and other academic fields join the group. Indian Knowledge Systems and cultural connections will form key cross-cutting themes. The books will also address equality, inclusion, age-appropriate pedagogy, value education, and environmental education. Information and communication technology will also receive attention.
Additionally, the team must consult NCERT groups handling Indian Knowledge Systems, social sciences, languages, environmental education, and innovative pedagogy. Members will review every chapter for suitable integration of these themes.
The publishing process will involve several review stages. All 20 members will contribute to writing, character review, language editing, and subject connections. Each member must review relevant literature before preparing content. The full team will then examine completed chapters.
Afterward, the textbook core group will review chapters periodically and offer necessary suggestions. NCERT’s concerned committee will conduct another review. Final approval will come before publication and student access. If required, NCERT may also bring external experts, teachers, illustrators, or designers for specific chapters.
