lakhs of class 4 students in Uttar Pradesh would study about Rani Lakshmibai, the fearless queen of Jhansi who challenged the British, and the renowned singer, lyricist, and composer Padma Shri Ravindra Jain in their English textbook.
The revision, carried out by experts from the English Language Teaching Institute (ELTI), Prayagraj aims to provide children with a brief yet inspiring introduction to these figures, said officials of the state basic education department while confirming the move.
The newly developed textbook has received approval from NCERT for use in over 1 lakh government-run primary schools running under the Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Council and will be implemented from the 2026–27 session.
The move is part of a phased implementation plan by the state’s basic education department, which is adapting the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) content to suit the local context, said basic education department officials.
In the lesson based on the state of Maheshwar ruled by queen Ahilyabai Holkar, information about Rani Lakshmibai has also been included. It states that she fought bravely against the British in 1857 to defend the Jhansi Fort. Brief information has also been provided about the late Ravindra Jain, who was born in Aligarh and became a household name through the music provided for television serial Ramayana.
Several small but important changes have been made in the book, especially for Uttar Pradesh. For example, in the lesson based on the traditional team sport of Nagaland, Hekko, it has been clarified that Hekko and Kabaddi are almost similar games. Similarly, Lagori/Satoliya has been explained as the game ‘Pithoo’. The term Chinna, used in some South Indian states, has also been explained—for instance, in Tamil, Chinna means “small,” while in Kannada, it means “gold”.
{{/usCountry}}Several small but important changes have been made in the book, especially for Uttar Pradesh. For example, in the lesson based on the traditional team sport of Nagaland, Hekko, it has been clarified that Hekko and Kabaddi are almost similar games. Similarly, Lagori/Satoliya has been explained as the game ‘Pithoo’. The term Chinna, used in some South Indian states, has also been explained—for instance, in Tamil, Chinna means “small,” while in Kannada, it means “gold”.
{{/usCountry}}ELTI principal Skand Shukla said Hindi meanings of words have been provided in the English textbook so that students and teachers do not face much difficulty while reading and teaching. “In addition, several small details have been added. Hindi meanings of unfamiliar words used in content related to other states have also been given so that, in accordance with the spirit of the National Education Policy-2020, children may develop interest in other Indian languages as well,” he said.
ELTI experts have also provided Hindi meanings of difficult words in the Class 4 English textbook, along with guidance on their pronunciation. Children in Uttar Pradesh often find it difficult to understand English, and this will help them better understand difficult words, they shared.