The Opposition on Thursday, 20 August sharply criticised the government over the reconstitution of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)'s Textbook Development Team (TDT) for Classes 11 and 12 political science, alleging that members with ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), were being inducted into the education system. Multiple parties accused the government of “playing with the future of the country.”

What the Reconstituted Panel Covers

The NCERT notified the reconstituted 20-member Textbook Development Team on 14 August, tasking it with developing new political science textbooks for senior secondary classes. The panel’s mandate includes integrating ‘cultural rootedness’, Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), equity and inclusion, value education, and educational technology. At least four members of the team reportedly have links to the RSS, ABVP, or other Sangh-affiliated organisations, according to Opposition leaders.

Opposition Voices: What Leaders Said

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha questioned the inclusion of such individuals in educational material development. “Why shouldn’t we raise questions? You are involving the very people and organisations that have destroyed the education ecosystem. Haven’t you understood what Gen Z wants? They want an honest examination system, an education system that leads to employment, and one that is inclusive in nature. By bringing in people trained in Nagpur, you are, frankly, acting in your own interests. You are playing with the future of the country,” Jha said.

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar alleged that the RSS-BJP was attempting to control institutions across the country. “The RSS-BJP are trying to take control of every institution in our country. Until our government returns, we will have to bear with this,” he said.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan alleged that the RSS and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sought to dismantle established institutions. “The RSS and BJP want to change everything. They don’t want anything scientific,” he said.

Congress leader Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged that BJP governments at the Centre and in states had placed RSS-linked individuals in key institutional positions. Congress MP Jebi Mather said her party had consistently opposed what she described as the RSS’s growing influence in educational institutions, referencing the Congress’ earlier opposition to a Vice-Chancellor’s participation in an RSS programme in Kerala. “There has been a pattern under the BJP government for the past 12 years. Whether it is NCERT textbooks, universities, vice-chancellors or history books, we are witnessing the RSS agenda being inserted into educational institutions,” Mather said.

BJP’s Counter-Argument

BJP leader T.R. Sriniwas dismissed the allegations, turning the criticism back on the Opposition. He accused previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments of favouring Left-leaning academics in educational institutions and textbook development. “They allege that they have RSS links. So what? I have a huge list of Left-leaning people who were associated with UPA-I and UPA-II and influenced institutions and history writing. The entire history was rewritten so that children were repeatedly taught about only the Nehru-Gandhi narrative through NCERT textbooks,” Sriniwas said.

Broader Context

This is not the first time NCERT’s curriculum revision process has drawn political fire. The council has faced scrutiny over content changes in recent years, including the removal and modification of chapters in social science and history textbooks. The latest controversy centres on who gets to shape the political science curriculum for senior secondary students — a subject that directly informs civic understanding among millions of young Indians. With the new TDT’s mandate explicitly including ‘cultural rootedness’ and IKS, the debate over the ideological direction of public education is set to intensify.