NCERT unveils new Class 8 'India's Long Road to Independence'

India Jul 12, 2026

NCERT has rolled out a new version of the Class eight Social Science textbook, swapping in India's Long Road to Independence after the old chapter was pulled following Supreme Court feedback.
The fresh chapter puts more focus on how the British fueled Hindu-Muslim divisions, and frames Partition as disagreements between small sections of both communities.

NCERT drops 'helpless' label for Congress

The text notes that many in the Indian National Congress opposed the Partition plan, but historians still debate if it was truly unavoidable.
A line calling Congress leaders "helpless" during communal violence has been removed, though Gandhi's sadness over the events remains.
With these tweaks, expect renewed conversations about how Partition is taught in schools.