The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has reconstituted the 20-member panel responsible for preparing new Political Science textbooks and teaching-learning materials for Classes 11 and 12. At least four members of the newly formed team have links with the RSS or organisations affiliated with it.
The earlier Textbook Development Team, which was notified on June 5, 2025, has been replaced by a new panel through a notification issued by NCERT Director D P Saklani on August 14, 2026. The new team will work on finalising the syllabus and preparing textbooks in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.
Prof Sandeep Shastri, Vice President (Bangalore) at Nitte (Deemed to be University), has been appointed as the team leader. Dr Vanthangpui Khobung and Dr Subhash Singh will serve as member-coordinators, responsible for official communication and informing members about NCERT’s meeting and publication procedures.
FOUR MEMBERS LINKED TO RSS
At least four members of the 20-member panel have associations with the RSS or its affiliated organisations.
Yadunath Deshpande, a senior consultant with the Education Ministry’s NSTC Programme Office, has a longstanding association with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He has previously served as ABVP’s Joint State Organising Secretary in Maharashtra and as Organising Secretary for the Mumbai-Konkan region. His LinkedIn profile also identifies him as a former political consultant to the BJP.
Dr Prashant Divekar heads the Teacher Education Centre and Research Programme at Jnana Prabodhini in Pune. The organisation was established in 1962 by RSS pracharak Vinayak Vishwanath, also known as Vivekananda Pendse, and promotes what it calls “Bhartiya educational philosophy”.
Prof Vandana Mishra, a political scientist at Jawaharlal Nehru University, is a former National Secretary of the ABVP.
Another panel member, JNU associate professor Dr Ravi Rameshchandra Shukla, serves on the editorial board of a journal published by RSS-linked organisation Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini.
The panel also comprises academics and educators from institutions including Jawaharlal Nehru University, National Law University Delhi, Chanakya University Bengaluru, IGNOU, Utkal University and Pondicherry University, among others.
CLASS 11 TEXTBOOK TO BE COMPLETED FIRST
NCERT has fixed November 30, 2026, as the deadline for completing the Class 11 Political Science textbook. The Class 12 textbook is expected to be completed by July 30, 2027.
The timelines come as NCERT works towards updating senior secondary textbooks in accordance with curriculum changes introduced through NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023. The panel’s reconstitution marks a shift from curriculum planning towards developing updated material for classroom use.
The new team includes academics, school teachers and specialists from universities, law institutions, open-learning organisations and government bodies.
INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS TO BE A CROSS-CUTTING THEME
The panel has been instructed to incorporate Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and cultural rootedness as cross-cutting themes throughout the new Political Science textbooks.
Its responsibilities will also cover subjects such as equity, inclusion, age-appropriate teaching methods, value education, environmental education and information and communication technology (ICT).
The team will work in consultation with NCERT’s Curricular Area Group on Indian Knowledge Systems, along with groups dealing with Social Science, Languages, Environmental Education and Innovative Pedagogy.
Before the textbooks receive final approval, the Textbook Core Group will evaluate how effectively each chapter incorporates IKS and cultural rootedness.
HOW THE NEW TEXTBOOKS WILL BE DEVELOPED
All 20 members will participate in writing, illustration, reviewing, language editing and establishing connections between different topics. Each member will also be required to conduct a literature review before beginning the drafting process.
Once drafted, chapters will be circulated among all panel members for feedback. They will subsequently undergo periodic assessment by the Textbook Core Group before NCERT gives final approval for publication and distribution.
The review process will additionally involve relevant NCERT bodies, including the National Syllabus and Teaching-Learning Material Committee and the National Curriculum Framework Oversight Committee.
NCERT may invite external experts, teachers and illustrators to contribute to particular chapters, including sections related to Indian Knowledge Systems. Such special invitees will require approval from the NCERT Director.
The revised textbooks will be published only after completing the prescribed review and approval procedures.
