UP Board textbooks set for major revamp with focus on Indian Knowledge System

As part of the ongoing curriculum reform under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UP Board) is preparing to make school textbooks more state-centric and relevant to students by incorporating regional history, cultural heritage, and contributions of Indian scholars

As part of the ongoing curriculum reform under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UP Board) is preparing to make school textbooks more state-centric and relevant to students by incorporating regional history, cultural heritage, and contributions of Indian scholars.

UP Board secretary Bhagwati Singh said efforts are underway to refine the syllabus to include elements of the Indian Knowledge System (IKS), highlighting the works and theories of renowned Indian scientists and scholars such as Aryabhata, Charaka, Varahamihira, and Brahmagupta. The proposed revisions will also introduce students to successful government initiatives such as the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme, along with information about signature products of all districts and the significance of Geographical Indication (GI) tags.

“The Central government has formulated the National Curriculum Framework, while the state is developing its State Curriculum Framework. Following consultations with subject experts, we will incorporate lesser-known historical, religious, Buddhist, Jain, and freedom movement-related sites and events located within Uttar Pradesh,” Singh said.

According to him, the revision process is expected to be completed by the end of the current academic session. The updated curriculum will seek to provide students with deeper knowledge about their state’s historical and cultural legacy while aligning with the objectives of the State Curriculum Framework (SCF).

The proposed changes will also include topics related to ancient Indian achievements in mathematics, astronomy, and science, giving students insights into India’s rich intellectual traditions and contributions to global knowledge.

Singh said two workshops involving experts from different disciplines have already been conducted to identify content that can be added across subjects. “The curriculum will focus on making education more practical and student-centric, while promoting problem-solving abilities and innovation among students,” he said.

Once the new topics are finalised, the Board will begin chapterisation and syllabus restructuring before sending revised textbooks for printing, likely by the end of the academic session.

The UP Board has been entrusted with developing the State Curriculum Framework to facilitate implementation of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 in secondary education. The initiative is expected to impact more than one crore students studying in Classes 9 to 12 across the state.

The revised framework will be implemented in over 29,000 UP Board-affiliated schools and aims to transform classroom teaching, learning processes and assessment methods.