Opposition alleges RSS imprint in NCERT political science texts
Opposition leaders accuse the government of embedding RSS-linked influence in NCERT's politics textbooks, as the panel building team for Class 11-12 politics includes individuals with reported RSS links. The dispute centers on the team’s mandate and the panel’s composition.
Key takeaways
- NCERT reconstituted a 16-member team to develop political science textbooks for Classes 11 and 12.
- Mandate includes cultural rootedness, Indian knowledge systems, and inclusion in the curriculum.
- Several named members reportedly have links to RSS, BJP, or Sangh-affiliated institutions.
- Opposition leaders and student groups allege ideological bias and call for scrutiny of the panel’s independence.
- The dispute centers on the panel’s composition and potential influence on textbook content.
What Happened
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) reconstituted its 16-member textbook development team for political science for Classes 11 and 12. The panel’s mandate includes integrating ideas described as cultural rootedness, Indian knowledge systems and broader inclusion into the curriculum. Opposition parties and student groups criticized the move, arguing it serves an ideological imprint linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Several members named in the team have associations with RSS, BJP or Sangh-affiliated institutions. Reported include Yadunath Deshpande, described as a senior education ministry consultant with past ABVP links; Vandana Mishra, a former national secretary of the ABVP and a JNU professor; Prashant Divekar, connected to Jnana Prabodhini (an RSS-affiliated institution) based in Pune; and Ravi Rameshchandra Shukla, who participated on the editorial board of a journal produced by the Indian Institute of Democratic Leadership– Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, another RSS-affiliated organization. Deshpande’s LinkedIn profile, which previously noted BJP political consulting and ABVP ties, was reported as inaccessible on August 20, 2026.
Opposition lawmakers and student groups condemned the selection. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized what he called the ‘sanghikaran’ of textbooks and contrasted it with a process termed ‘shuddhikaran.’ Congress Rajya Sabha member Syed Naseer Hussain questioned the panel’s independence, alleging that the government has used textbooks to advance its ideological goals. Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha of the RJD echoed concerns about individuals linked to organizations described as having previously affected the education sector. The Congress-affiliated NSUI and the Left’s AISA also criticized the panel, with AISA calling it a backdoor entry for BJP-RSS propaganda and demanding dissolution. Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad referenced Modi’s remarks about ‘dimaagi Naxals’ in linking literacy with critical questioning.
The report notes the panel’s composition and the affiliated groups but also highlights that the NCERT and Education Ministry have not issued a formal statement in this summary. The development comes amid ongoing debates over curriculum content and ideological balance in school education.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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