NCERT clarifies no topics dropped from Class 9 Maths syllabus; final release in October

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) clarified on Friday that no topics have been dropped from the draft Class 9 Mathematics syllabus. Instead, some topics have been incorporated into other chapters, following concerns raised about changes in the subject content.

This clarification comes as NCERT aligns its curriculum with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 (NCF-SE 2023). The changes, which begin with Class 9 and Class 11 from the academic year 2026-27, aim to shift from rote learning towards conceptual understanding and real-world application.

Changes in Syllabus Structure and Content

NCERT stated that the school curriculum should be understood through Curricular Goals, Competencies, and Learning Outcomes, rather than merely by counting chapter titles. The council released Part 2 of Class 9 mathematics books, titled Ganita Manjari 2, earlier this week. The draft syllabus, which was open for feedback from teachers, students, and educators, will be finalised and released in October 2026 by NCERT/CBSE.

The new Class 9 Mathematics textbook, Ganita Manjari Part 1, for the 2026–27 academic session, replaces the old NCERT Maths book that had been in use since 2006. Ganita Manjari Part 1 features 8 redesigned chapters. The new approach emphasizes reasoning, application-based questions, and real-life and historical contexts, including ancient Indian mathematics.

Integration of Topics and New Additions

NCERT confirmed that key ideas and applications of Lines and Angles are now contained in Grade 9 Part 2’s chapters on “Propositions and Their Converses” (Chapter 9) and “Quadrilaterals” (Chapter 12). A full, dedicated chapter on Lines and Angles already existed in Grade 6, Ganita Prakash, Chapter 2. Similarly, key ideas from Euclidean geometry are extensively treated across Chapters 5, 6, 9, 12, and 13 of the Grade 9 mathematics textbook. It was decided not to have a traditional abstract axiom-theorem-proof chapter on Euclidean geometry, opting instead for students to explore and develop conceptual understanding across various chapters.

A standalone module on Artificial Intelligence (AI) is under development, and a chapter on algorithms has been added to Grade 9. This addition is considered crucial for students to explore the mathematical notions behind AI in their mathematics classes, aligning with the NEP mandate for computational thinking. A new topic for Class 9, Sequences and Progressions (Chapter 8), covers Arithmetic Progressions (AP) and Geometric Progressions (GP).

Competency-Based Education Framework

The new textbooks are developed in line with NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023, which advocate for competency-based education. The council stated that drawing inferences on curriculum coverage by merely matching chapter headings with syllabus entries does not reflect the intent of this approach. In the NCF-SE design, Curricular Goals outline broader aims, Competencies describe learner attainment, and Learning Outcomes provide observable milestones for teaching and assessment.

Textbooks serve as teaching-learning resources to help realize these goals, competencies, and outcomes. NCERT advises schools, teachers, School Boards, and other stakeholders to plan classroom processes and assessment with reference to Competencies. What we’re trying to do a textbook chapter is to support competency development, with chapterisation being a pedagogical arrangement rather than an end in itself.

Further reading

• NCERT clarifies Class 9 Maths syllabus changes, says no topics were dropped
• NEET PG 2026 result rank mismatch reported by aspirants, NBE to release answer key on October 1
• NIOS October 2026 date sheet expected soon for Class 10, 12 theory exams
• CBSE Class 10, 12 exams 2027: LOC portal opens, submit details by October 21
• CBSE LOC 2026-27 submission opens: register for Class 10, 12 board exams by October 30

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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