NEP 2020 in Action: How the CBSE Maths Syllabus for Middle and Secondary Classes Has Evolved
From Policy to Textbook
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 set out a new vision for Indian school education: less rote learning, more conceptual understanding, critical thinking, experiential learning and a connection to Indian knowledge traditions. The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 translated that vision into curriculum goals for each stage of schooling. The new NCERT Maths textbooks — Ganita Prakash and Ganita Manjari — are where that policy finally reaches the classroom.
The New School Structure and Where Classes 6–9 Fit
NEP 2020 replaced the old 10+2 framing with a 5+3+3+4 structure: Foundational, Preparatory, Middle and Secondary stages. Classes 6, 7 and 8 form the Middle Stage, and Class 9 begins the Secondary Stage. This is why Classes 6 to 8 share one textbook series, Ganita Prakash, while Class 9 begins a new series, Ganita Manjari, with a noticeably higher level of abstraction.
Key NEP Principles Visible in the Books
Conceptual understanding over rote learning: ideas are explored and discovered before formulas are stated. Spiral learning: topics such as Number Play, decimals and proportional reasoning recur at increasing depth. Indian knowledge systems: chapters such as "The Baudhayana-Pythagoras Theorem" and "A Story of Numbers" bring India's mathematical heritage into mainstream study. Competency focus: embedded Figure it Out questions encourage application and reasoning. Future-ready content: Class 9 introduces probability, logic and algorithms — areas closely tied to data science and computing.
Old Syllabus vs New Syllabus in Class 9
The old Class 9 book had twelve chapters: Number Systems, Polynomials, Coordinate Geometry, Linear Equations in Two Variables, Introduction to Euclid's Geometry, Lines and Angles, Triangles, Quadrilaterals, Circles, Heron's Formula, Surface Areas and Volumes, and Statistics. Ganita Manjari keeps many core ideas — coordinates, polynomials, number systems, circles, quadrilaterals, surface area and volume — but reorganises them and adds probability, sequences and progressions, propositions and their converses, and algorithms.
| Ch. | Chapter Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Orienting Yourself: The Use of Coordinates |
| 2 | Introduction to Linear Polynomials |
| 3 | The World of Numbers |
| 4 | Exploring Algebraic Identities |
| 5 | I'm Up and Down, and Round and Round |
| 6 | Measuring Space: Perimeter and Area |
| 7 | The Mathematics of Maybe: Introduction to Probability |
| 8 | Predicting What Comes Next: Exploring Sequences and Progressions |
| Ch. | Chapter Name |
|---|---|
| 9 | Propositions and their Converses |
| 10 | How Quantities Combine: Understanding Data |
| 11 | The World of Algorithms |
| 12 | Quadrilaterals |
| 13 | Two Variables, One Line |
| 14 | Math of Space: Surface Area and Volume |
What This Means for Students, Parents and Schools
Students need to build habits of explaining and reasoning, not only computing. Parents should ensure their children use study material designed for the new books. Schools need to plan for activity-based teaching and competency-based assessment. Done well, this shift should produce students who are more confident and more capable with mathematics — which is exactly the goal of NEP 2020.
Om Muruga Publication's Contribution
As an educational publisher, Om Muruga Publication supports this transition with complete step-by-step solution books for Ganita Prakash (Classes 6, 7 and 8) and Ganita Manjari (Class 9), written for the new textbooks and the new approach. Explore the series and bulk-order options at om-murugapublication.in.
Step-by-Step NCERT Maths Solutions from Om Muruga Publication
Complete solution books for the new NCERT Mathematics textbooks — Ganita Prakash (Classes 6, 7 & 8) and Ganita Manjari (Class 9) — with detailed working for every example, Figure it Out question and exercise.
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