What Changed in NCERT & CBSE Books for 2025-26 |BookMandee

It starts with a shelf full of books from last year and a simple question: can any of these carry forward?

For many Indian families, this question arrives quietly in March or April – and getting the answer wrong either costs money (buying new books that were not needed) or costs your child (studying outdated content in a class whose curriculum has moved on). The stakes are not dramatic, but they are real.

Session 2025-26 brings the most significant wave of NCERT textbook changes in recent years. Four classes have entirely new books. New titles, new content structures, new approaches to how subjects are taught. Several other classes remain untouched. And for Classes 9 to 12 – which affects the largest number of students sitting for board exams – the existing books largely hold.

This post maps all of it out clearly: what has changed, what has not, what the new books are called, and what the shift means practically for your child’s education.

TL;DR – At a Glance

Class	Status for 2025-26	Action Required
Classes 1 and 2	Updated in 2023-24, still current	No change needed
Class 3	Updated in 2023-24 (Poorvi, new EVS)	No change needed; verify if carrying forward
Classes 4 and 5	New books for 2025-26	Buy new editions – do not carry forward
Class 6	Updated in 2024-25, still current	No change needed; verify edition
Classes 7 and 8	New books for 2025-26	Buy new editions – do not carry forward
Classes 9 and 10	Unchanged for 2025-26	Existing books valid; used copies fine
Classes 11 and 12	Unchanged for 2025-26	Existing books valid; used copies fine

Why Everything Is Changing – The NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023 Story

To understand why NCERT books are changing now, and why they are changing in phases rather than all at once, it helps to understand where this is coming from.

The National Education Policy 2020 envisions a massive transformation in education through an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high-quality education to all.

One of its most concrete structural changes is the replacement of the familiar 10+2 school model with a new framework. The NEP 2020 replaces the traditional 10+2 education structure with a new 5+3+3+4 system, which divides schooling into four stages based on age and learning needs.

Here is what those four stages actually mean:

Stage	Duration	Classes Covered	Age Group	Core Focus
Foundational	5 years	Pre-school + Classes 1 and 2	3 to 8 years	Play-based learning, language, numeracy
Preparatory	3 years	Classes 3, 4, and 5	8 to 11 years	Activity-based learning, conceptual introduction
Middle	3 years	Classes 6, 7, and 8	11 to 14 years	Experiential learning, subject depth
Secondary	4 years	Classes 9, 10, 11, and 12	14 to 18 years	Critical thinking, multidisciplinary choice

The textbooks being changed are being aligned to these stages – not to the old class-by-class structure. Beginning April 2024, NCERT introduced a revised syllabus and new textbooks for Classes 3 and 6. These NCERT changes align with the principles of NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023.

What does the new curriculum actually do differently? Three things stand out in the new books compared to the old ones:

Content reduction

Approximately 30% of non-essential or repetitive content has been removed. The 2025-26 editions focus on core essential concepts rather than exhaustive coverage.

Experiential and activity-based learning

The updated books promise a revamped curriculum with reduced content load and an increased focus on activities. Chapters begin with stories, real-world situations, or hands-on activities rather than definitions and theory.

Indian context and cultural grounding

The new curriculum encourages hands-on learning, highlights India’s cultural and scientific heritage, and supports the development of practical life skills.

Two new subject areas also make their formal entry in the middle school stage under NEP 2020 – Vocational Education (Kaushal Bodh) and Physical Education and Well-being (Khel Yoga). These are part of the prescribed new-session books for Classes 6 to 8.

Also Read: NCERT Class 10 Books – Complete Subject Guide & Board Prep Resource

The Phased Rollout – What Changed When

NCERT did not update all classes at once. The rollout has been intentionally staged to allow schools, teachers, and publishers to adapt.

In the academic session 2024-25, NCERT released new textbooks for Classes 1, 2, 3, and 6 only. For the academic session 2025-26, NCERT has decided to implement new textbooks for Classes 4, 5, 7, and 8.

The full rollout timeline looks like this:

Session	Classes Updated
2023-24	Classes 1 and 2
2024-25	Classes 3 and 6
2025-26	Classes 4, 5, 7, and 8
2026-27	Class 9 (under development)
2027-28	Classes 10, 11, and 12 (planned)

Class 9 new books are currently under preparation and may be introduced from the 2026-27 academic session. Class 10 and 11 textbooks under the new framework have been postponed to 2027-28.

The practical implication for the current session is clear: Classes 4, 5, 7, and 8 have genuinely new books, and using last year’s editions for these classes means using outdated content. Classes 9 to 12 are stable for at least another year.

What is New for 2025-26 – Class by Class

Classes 4 and 5 – Preparatory Stage Completion

The preparatory stage under NEP 2020 covers Classes 3, 4, and 5. Classes 3 were updated in 2024-25; Classes 4 and 5 received their new books this session.

New book titles for Classes 4 and 5:

Subject	New Title	Notes
English	Santoor	Replaces the older Marigold and related titles
Hindi	Veena	Replaces Rimjhim for updated classes
Mathematics	Maths Mela	Activity-based; replaces Math Magic for updated classes
EVS	Our Wondrous World	Replaces Looking Around
Arts Education	Bansuri	New subject addition under NEP 2020
Physical Education	Khel Yoga	New subject addition under NEP 2020

For Class 5 students, NCERT has released Veena (Hindi), Santoor (English), and other updated materials to provide a rich and diverse learning experience.

Two things stand out here. First, the book titles themselves have changed – a child entering Class 4 in 2025-26 will have Santoor for English, not the familiar Marigold. Second, two entirely new subjects – Arts and Physical Education – now have prescribed textbooks at this level. Schools that have adopted the new curriculum will include these on their book lists; confirm with your school which subjects are being formally taught this session.

The bridge between the old and new curriculum is also being actively managed. A Bridge Month Programme will be provided by CBSE for Class 5 and Class 8. In the month of April 2025, schools used this Bridge Month Programme to teach students in a fun-based manner, easing the transition to the new curriculum.

Classes 7 and 8 – Middle School Transformation

This is where the changes are most significant in terms of content structure, not just updated editions of familiar books.

New book titles for Class 7:

Subject	New Title	Notes
English	Poorvi (Part 2)	Continuing the Poorvi series from Class 6
Hindi	Malhar (Part 2)	Continuing from Class 6
Mathematics	Ganita Prakash (Part 2)	Updated approach to mathematical concepts
Science	Curiosity (Part 2)	Continuing from Class 6
Social Science	Exploring Society: India and Beyond Vol. I	Entirely restructured – replaces separate History, Geography, Civics books
Sanskrit	Deepakam Part 2	Updated edition
Arts Education	Kriti	New addition
Physical Education	Physical Education and Well-being	New addition
Vocational Education	Kaushal Bodh	New addition under NEP 2020

The new Class 7 Social Science textbook restructures the historical sequence. Coverage of the medieval period has been shifted to later classes, while Class 7 now covers ancient Indian history – including the Maurya, Shunga, Satavahana, and Gupta dynasties – in greater depth.

New book titles for Class 8:

Subject	New Title	Notes
English	Poorvi (Part 3)	New
Hindi	Malhar (Part 3)	New
Mathematics	Ganita Prakash (Part 3)	New
Science	Curiosity (Part 3)	New
Social Science	Exploring Society: India and Beyond Vol. II	New integrated book
Sanskrit	Dipkam	New
Arts Education	Kriti	New addition
Physical Education	Khel Yatra	New addition
Vocational Education	Kaushal Bodh	New addition

For Class 8, the new additions include Curiosity – a Science textbook designed to spark inquisitiveness – and Kaushal Bodh, a Vocational Education textbook that focuses on skill-based learning. In addition, the Hindi textbook Malhar and the English textbook Poorvi for Class 8 have been unveiled to promote holistic development.

The most substantive change at Class 8 is the Social Science restructuring. The older format had separate books for History (Our Pasts III), Geography (Resources and Development), and Civics (Social and Political Life III). All three are now consolidated into a single integrated textbook, Exploring Society: India and Beyond Vol. II. This is not a minor update – it is a fundamentally different approach to how these subjects are taught and examined at this level.

What is Already Updated but Often Mistakenly Treated as New?

A source of confusion every session: parents who missed the 2024-25 updates sometimes arrive at the new session thinking Class 6 books are being updated this year. They were already updated last year.

Class 3 received new books in 2024-25. The key change was the English textbook, now titled Poorvi – replacing the older Marigold Part 3. If your child is entering Class 3 in 2025-26 and you have a Marigold Part 3 at home from an older sibling, it is the wrong book.
Class 6 received entirely overhauled books in 2024-25. Class 6 new titles include Malhar (Hindi), Poorvi (English), Ganita Prakash (Maths), Curiosity (Science), Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Social Science), and Deepakam (Sanskrit). All of these were new last session and remain the current prescribed books for 2025-26. If your child is entering Class 6 this session and you have the older pre-2024 books (Our Environment, Social and Political Life I, the older Science textbook), those books are outdated for the current curriculum.

What Has NOT Changed – Classes 9 to 12

This is the section most relevant to the largest number of Indian school students currently preparing for board exams.

Classes 9 to 12 continue with the existing NCERT textbooks for the current session. The secondary stage new curriculum is being developed and will be introduced in later sessions.

For 2025-26:

Class 9 and 10 NCERT books are unchanged
Class 11 and 12 NCERT books across all streams (Science, Commerce, Humanities) are unchanged
Students preparing for Class 10 and Class 12 board exams use the same books as previous sessions

This has two important practical implications.

For students: No disruption to board exam preparation. The NCERT books they have, or that seniors are willing to pass on, are fully valid for this session’s examinations.

For parents: This is the ideal window to source second-hand books for Classes 9 to 12. Since editions are stable, a well-kept copy from the previous session carries identical content. The savings on a complete Class 11 Science stream NCERT set, sourced through BookMandee versus bought new, can run to ₹500 to ₹700 – and that is before accounting for the reference books.

Recommended Read: How to Buy Used School Books Online

The Price Reduction That Came Alongside the New Books

One genuinely positive development attached to the 2025-26 book rollout. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced in December 2024 that NCERT textbooks will see a price reduction starting in 2025. With NCERT tripling its printing capacity from 5 crore to 15 crore books annually, economies of scale have enabled a 20% price reduction across new titles.

The new books for Classes 4, 5, 7, and 8 are priced lower than their predecessors. New NCERT titles including Santoor, Veena, Maths Mela, and the Khel Yoga titles are priced at ₹65 each. For a complete set across all subjects, this keeps the NCERT-only cost firmly in accessible territory – the government-regulated pricing model that has always been one of NCERT’s most important features.

The Sibling Question – A Practical Decision Guide

This comes up in every household with more than one school-going child. Before automatically passing books down, run through this decision tree:

Step 1: Which class is the younger child entering?

Entering Classes 1 or 2: Books were updated in 2023-24. Verify edition – if the copy at home is from 2023-24 or later, it is fine.
Entering Class 3: English should be Poorvi, not Marigold Part 3. Check the title.
Entering Class 4 or 5: Buy new. These have entirely new titles for 2025-26.
Entering Class 6: Books were updated in 2024-25. Check that the Science book says Curiosity and the Social Science book says Exploring Society. If it does, the copy is current.
Entering Class 7 or 8: Buy new. These have new titles and restructured content for 2025-26.
Entering Class 9, 10, 11, or 12: Carry forward is fine. Editions are unchanged. A copy from 2024-25 is identical in content to a new one.

Step 2: For classes where carrying forward is valid (Classes 9 to 12), check the physical condition. Heavy marking in exercise pages can make a book less usable, though for reading-heavy subjects like History and Geography, even a well-annotated copy works.

Used Books in the New-Curriculum Context

The NCERT updates create an interesting secondary market dynamic. For the updated classes – 4, 5, 7, and 8 – the old editions are no longer relevant for school use in 2025-26. But the new editions, once purchased and used through this session, become valid second-hand books for the following year’s students.

The used-book market for Classes 7 and 8 in particular will look different this year compared to last. Last year’s Class 8 copies (Our Pasts III, the older Geography and Civics books) are outdated for current use. But students who buy the new Exploring Society Vol. II and Curiosity this year will, by March 2026, have perfectly current second-hand books to offer the incoming Class 8 cohort.

For Classes 9 to 12, the second-hand market is as strong as ever – stable editions, consistent demand, and well-kept copies from last session that are word-for-word the same as what students need this year.

BookMandee connects buyers and sellers directly – a parent whose child has just finished Class 9 can list their books for an incoming Class 9 student to find, connect with, and collect at a mutually agreed price and location. The platform does not fix prices or handle exchanges; it creates the connection.

[Find NCERT books for your child’s class on BookMandee]

Frequently Asked Questions

My child’s school has not mentioned anything about new books for Class 7. Does that mean they are not switching?

Not all CBSE-affiliated schools adopt NCERT’s updated editions in the first year of rollout. Some schools, particularly smaller private schools, implement changes a session after central schools do. Ask your school directly: Are we following the 2025-26 NCERT editions for Class 7? The answer determines whether you need the new titles.

Are the new NCERT books harder or easier than the old ones?

The new books promise a revamped curriculum with reduced content load and an increased focus on activities. The intent is for them to be more engaging and less rote-learning-oriented – not more difficult in terms of content volume. Whether individual students find them easier depends on their learning style: students who thrive with structured theory may initially find the activity-based approach less familiar.

Are solutions books and guides available for the new NCERT titles?

Updated solutions are available for all newly introduced NCERT textbooks including Ganita Prakash, Curiosity, Poorvi, Malhar, and Deepakam, written specifically for the new chapters and activity-based question formats – not adapted from older editions. Several educational platforms and publishers have updated their guide books accordingly, though the pace of availability varies by subject and publisher.

Will the CBSE board exam pattern for Class 10 and 12 change because of NEP 2020?

The 2026 Class 10 and 12 board exams will feature 50% Competency-Based Questions. The new books contain specific Activity and Case Study boxes designed to prepare students for these formats. For Classes 9 to 12, where the books themselves are unchanged for 2025-26, the shift toward competency-based questioning is the primary exam-related change to be aware of.

Does the new Social Science integrated book for Class 8 cover the same topics as the old History, Geography, and Civics books?

It covers the same broad subject areas but with a restructured approach. History, Geography, and Civics are no longer in separate volumes – they are woven together thematically in Exploring Society: India and Beyond Vol. II. Some topics from the older books have been moved, added, or reorganised. The examination for Class 8 Social Science in schools adopting the new curriculum will be based on the new book, not the old separate-subject format.

My child is in Class 11 this year. Will their books change next year for Class 12?

Not for 2026-27. Class 10 and 11 textbooks under the new NCF-SE 2023 framework have been postponed to 2027-28. A student currently in Class 11 will use existing NCERT books for Class 12 as well – the senior secondary stage transition to new books is at least two sessions away.

Are the new NCERT books for Class 7 and 8 available on BookMandee?

As these are freshly introduced editions for 2025-26, new copies have been the primary source this session. By the time the next session begins (2026-27), students who purchased these editions this year will be listing them on BookMandee – creating the second-hand supply that buyers for the following cohort will look for. For Classes 9 to 12, used copies are available now from students who completed the previous session.

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Disclaimer

The information in this post is compiled from publicly available sources including NCERT announcements, government education ministry communications, and school-level published book lists, and is intended for informational purposes only. NCERT rollout timelines, book titles, and adoption schedules by individual schools may vary from what is described above. Readers are advised to verify the specific editions prescribed by their school directly with the school administration, and to cross-check book titles and editions on the official NCERT portal at ncert.nic.in before making any purchase or carry-forward decisions. BookMandee does not take responsibility for discrepancies arising from changes made after the time of publication.

BookMandee is a peer-to-peer platform connecting families who want to sell school books they no longer need with those looking to buy them for the current session. Browse listings by class, subject, and edition, or list your own books.

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What Changed in NCERT & CBSE Books for 2025-26