Delhi schools to roll out Rashtraneeti curriculum with focus on RSS and freedom fighters

Delhi school students will soon study a new curriculum called Rashtraneeti, which features lessons on civic duties, democratic values, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and India’s freedom fighters.

Education Minister Ashish Sood announced the rollout, saying that the initiative is meant to strengthen students’ awareness of governance, ethics, and national identity from Class 1 through Class 12.

The curriculum was formally introduced on Sept 18 by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the Namo Vidya Utsav at Bharat Mandapam.

It has been designed to give students hands-on exposure to citizenship and democracy while also covering the RSS’s history and role in Indian society.

Sood explained that it would trace the origins and philosophy of the RSS, founded in 1925 by Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur, and highlight its contributions over the past century.

A special section titled RSS@100 will mark the organization’s centenary and focus on principles such as discipline, service, cultural awareness, and social responsibility.

Lessons will also address what officials described as common misconceptions about the group’s activities.

Apart from ideological and social aspects, the curriculum will highlight the RSS’s involvement in disaster relief and community service, including flood assistance in Kedarnath and Bihar, nationwide blood donation drives, and relief work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prominent leaders linked with the organization, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will also be featured.

Rashtraneeti will extend beyond the RSS to introduce students to freedom fighters and nation-builders.

The curriculum will feature figures such as Veer Savarkar, Subhas Chandra Bose, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with sections dedicated to their struggles and contributions to India’s independence.

Teacher manuals are already in place, and training sessions are underway through the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) to prepare instructors.

While the outline has been launched, full textbooks are scheduled for release in November after a review process that ends on October 15.

“What is wrong with learning about RSS? Introducing students to the history and journey of a century-old organization is a meaningful way to broaden their understanding. Beyond that, the content is extensive and well put together,” Sood said.

Officials described Rashtraneeti as an effort to balance civic awareness with historical education, giving students insights into governance systems, social movements, and the responsibilities of citizenship.

Its implementation will be closely observed to assess its effect on students’ engagement with both civic and historical knowledge.