NCERT Textbook Approval Process Flaws Exposed: Governance and Education Policy Implications

Hindustan Times - India · 14 Mar 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

The NCERT textbook controversy reveals systemic gaps in the three-stage approval process for NEP-aligned books, highlighting governance failures in the National Syllabus and Teaching-Learning Material Committee (NSTC).

Key points

National Curriculum Framework-School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 mandates a three-stage textbook approval process, but procedural lapses allowed controversial content on judicial corruption to slip through.

National Syllabus and Teaching-Learning Material Committee (NSTC) failed to convene required meetings, with members allegedly ignoring draft textbooks shared via WhatsApp/email, violating its constitutional oversight role under NEP 2020.

[GS2-Governance] The controversy exposes weak institutional accountability mechanisms in education governance, particularly in implementing bodies like NCERT and its advisory committees.

Textbook Development Teams (TDTs) and Curricular Area Groups (CAGs) operated without adequate NSTC supervision, with CAG chair Michel Danino defending controversial content citing 'academic freedom' despite NCERT director's objections.

NCERT's affidavit to the Supreme Court admitted procedural violations but shifted blame solely to TDTs, ignoring institutional responsibility for convening NSTC meetings as per mandate.

[GS2-Polity] This connects to federal education governance under Entry 25 of Concurrent List, showing tensions between academic autonomy and national curriculum standardization.

The 19-member NSTC includes international academics like Manjul Bhargava, raising questions about practical engagement of overseas members in domestic curriculum oversight.

National Education Policy 2020 implementation faces credibility challenges due to such governance lapses, potentially impacting India's human capital development goals.

Way Forward: NCERT should establish a transparent digital workflow with audit trails for textbook approvals, mandate physical NSTC meetings for contentious content, and create an ombudsman mechanism for academic content disputes.

Key terms

National Curriculum Framework-School Education (NCF-SE)

The NCF-SE 2023 is the guiding document for school education under NEP 2020, outlining pedagogical approaches and content standards. For UPSC, it's significant as it operationalizes concurrent list responsibilities (Entry 25) and reflects the center-state dynamic in education policy.

National Syllabus and Teaching-Learning Material Committee (NSTC)

The 19-member apex body under NEP 2020 responsible for final approval of NCERT textbooks. Its constitutional significance lies in standardizing national curriculum while balancing academic freedom, making its governance structure crucial for GS2 questions on education administration.

Textbook Development Teams (TDTs)

Subject-specific groups that draft NCERT textbooks, comprising domain experts. Their functioning is vital for UPSC as it reflects the implementation challenges of national policies at granular levels, connecting to GS2's governance and GS4's ethics in public service dimensions.

Curricular Area Groups (CAGs)

Oversight bodies that supervise multiple TDTs, ensuring alignment with NCF-SE. Their role is important for UPSC as it demonstrates the multi-layered decision-making in education policy, relevant to questions on bureaucratic accountability and institutional design.