For the very first time, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has included the 1975-77 National Emergency in the Class 9 Social Science syllabus. This crucial historic topic now appears in Chapter 6 of the newly released textbook, titled Understanding Society: India and Beyond (Grade 9, Part 1). This structural update is part of the ongoing changes being made under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It marks a major change in the way modern Indian political history is taught in schools to younger generations.

Students to Learn About the Emergency at an Earlier Stage

In the past, school students mainly studied the National Emergency in detail only when they reached Class 12 Political Science. That senior-level chapter focused heavily on its political, constitutional and democratic impact. With this latest curriculum revision, students will now be introduced to this important period much earlier in their education. This shift is designed to help them understand India’s democracy and Constitution from the secondary school level itself, rather than waiting for higher secondary classes.

The addition of this historical event is one of several changes introduced by NCERT while revising school textbooks in line with NEP 2020. The primary goal of the new education policy is to make school learning more multidisciplinary, skill-based and deeply connected to India’s history and constitutional values. Reflecting this vision, the revised Social Science textbook also places a much greater focus on civic awareness, democratic institutions and building a better understanding of how India’s democracy has developed over the years.

Update Comes 51 Years After the Emergency

This major curriculum change holds significant timing, because 2026 marks exactly 51 years since the National Emergency was declared on 25th June, 1975. The historical Emergency remained in force until March 1977 and is widely considered one of the most important periods in independent India’s political history.

During this particular time, several civil liberties were suspended across the nation, the press faced strict censorship and democratic elections were postponed. These severe developments left a lasting impact on India’s democratic system and continue to be actively discussed in political and constitutional debates today.

By systematically moving the topic down to Class 9, the NCERT aims to give students an earlier understanding of this important chapter in India’s history. The inclusion of this material is expected to strengthen their knowledge of foundational constitutional principles, core democratic values and the day-to-day functioning of public institutions. Ultimately, it encourages a deeper understanding of the country’s complex political journey from a younger age.

Political Responses and Key Statements

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla weighed in on the curriculum update, stating that June 25, 1975, marked "the darkest chapter" of India's democratic and constitutional journey. He alleged that the Congress party attacked every single constitutional institution during the Emergency, which was officially imposed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi between June 25, 1975 and March 21, 1977.

Expanding on these criticisms in a formal video statement, Poonawalla expressed strong words regarding the motivations behind the 1975 declarations.

"The Emergency was imposed out of lust for power by Indira Gandhi and the Congress. Every constitutional body was attacked. Parliament, the legislature, the judiciary and the media were censored and suppressed," he said in a video statement.

To illustrate the reach of the state actions during that era, he brought up specific cultural figures who were impacted by the administration's policies.

"We saw how even the likes of Kishore Kumar had their voice suppressed, and their songs removed from All India Radio. These were the kind of atrocities that were committed."

Poonawalla further detailed that fundamental rights were completely suspended, judicial review was taken away, and vital constitutional safeguards were dismantled. He emphasized that the NCERT's decision to include a dedicated chapter on the Emergency would directly help students understand the period and ensure that such events are not repeated in the future.

"Hence, the NCERT has taken a decision to include a chapter on the Emergency as dangerous to democracy and teach students. Because we must remember and commemorate this dark chapter in India's constitutional history, but we must never ever repeat it," he said.

Targeting the opposition party directly, he alleged that the party still had an "Emergency mindset" and openly questioned why it was opposing the inclusion of the chapter in school textbooks.

"Unfortunately, the Congress imposed the Emergency back in 1975, and they continue to live in the Emergency mindset. They are opposing it, the Congress and their ecosystem. Why are you opposing it? Should you not welcome it? If you are champions of the Constitution and not supporters of its destruction, then you must be the first one to say yes. Let us learn from the mistakes of the past. Because those who don't are condemned to repeat it," he said.

Concluding his remarks, Poonawalla also noted that historic leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav had famously fought against the Emergency during the 1970s. He called it deeply ironic that many political parties linked to them are now politically aligned with the Congress. These sharp remarks from the BJP spokesperson came as the NCERT's new textbook formally brought the Emergency into the Class 9 social science curriculum for the upcoming academic year.

The 1975 Indian Emergency: A Legacy of State Tyranny and Civil Atrocities

The 21-month National Emergency, declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975, is widely remembered as the darkest chapter in modern Indian history. During this period, the world's largest democracy was transformed overnight into an authoritarian state. What made this era so dark was not just the political shift, but the systemic atrocities committed against ordinary citizens, political opponents, and the foundational pillars of the Indian Constitution.

The Crushing of Political Dissent

The atrocities began on the very first night of the Emergency. Fundamental rights were suspended under Article 359 of the Constitution, meaning citizens lost their right to move court to protect their basic liberties.

Using draconian laws like the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), the government jailed more than 100,000 political opponents, journalists, and activists without any formal trial. Iconic leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L.K. Advani, and Morarji Desai were arrested immediately. Prisons across India became overcrowded with people whose only crime was disagreeing with the government.

Muzzling the Press

To keep the public from knowing about these mass arrests, the government imposed strict press censorship. On the night of June 25, power lines to major newspaper offices in Delhi were cut to prevent morning editions from being printed.

Every news item, editorial, and cartoon had to clear a government censor before publication. Bold newspapers like The Indian Express and The Statesman left their editorial pages entirely blank as a silent form of protest. International journalists who refused to comply were expelled from the country, and local artists—including singer Kishore Kumar—were banned from state media for refusing to praise the regime.

Forced Sterilization and Forced Slum Clearances

The most terrifying direct atrocities on the public were driven by Sanjay Gandhi's aggressive social programs. Under the banner of population control, a brutal mass sterilization drive was launched. Local authorities were given strict quotas. To meet them, police forces surrounded villages and crowded spaces like bus stations, pulling out low-income men, young boys, and the elderly to force them into vasectomy camps. Millions of forced sterilizations were performed in unhygienic conditions, leading to thousands of infections and deaths.

Simultaneously, the regime targeted urban slums. In April 1976, the government ordered the demolition of shanties near Delhi's Turkman Gate. When residents protested the destruction of their homes without resettlement, the police opened fire, killing dozens of unarmed citizens and bulldozing the entire neighborhood.

Why It Remains a 'Dark Chapter'

The 1975-177 Emergency is called a dark chapter because it proved how easily a constitutional democracy could be dismantled from within. By subjugating the judiciary, packing the courts with loyal judges, and passing constitutional amendments that placed the Prime Minister above judicial review, the administration stripped citizens of their final line of defense against state tyranny. It stands as a profound historical reminder of what happens when institutional checks and balances fail, and power becomes concentrated in a single office.