NCERT introduces Indian classical art forms in school textbooks for Classes 3 to 8

For the first time, Indian classical art forms have found a place in school textbooks, with the NCERT introducing new arts education material for Classes 3 to 8 this academic year.

The books, aligned with the National Education Policy’s emphasis on Indian ethos, cover music, dance, theatre, and visual arts.

Students are introduced to classical concepts such as swar, laya, and shabd in music, as well as ragas from Hindustani and Carnatic traditions.

Dance sections feature Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, and Sattriya, while lessons also highlight storytelling, abhinaya, and hand gestures drawn from the Natyashastra and Abhinaya Darpanam.

“Before this, there was no school textbook which exposed students to classical forms of dance and music. They would have to enrol in private training for learning these forms. Now they will get exposed to these as a part of the school curriculum,” said Sandhya Purecha, chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi and head of the NCERT textbook development team.

“Our idea is not to develop a student’s expertise in Bharatnatyam or Kathak, or Indian classical music at this stage. That would take years of practice. What we have done in the book is drawn from these concepts, for instance, basic hasta mudras in Indian dance forms, which are photographically depicted and can be incorporated in dance or theatre performances that students conceive,” she added.

She continued, “Also, basic leaps, jumps, circles are formations that are derived from classical dances can be incorporated into contemporary or folk dances that students may conceive as a part of their projects. Similarly, basics of classical music like ragas and taal is inculcated so that a student may appreciate a classical singing performance with some background knowledge.”

The textbooks for Classes 3 to 5 are titled “Bansuri,” while those for Classes 6 to 8 are titled “Kriti.”

NCERT Director Dinesh Saklani wrote in the foreword to the Class 8 edition, “Kriti has infused in its visuals and other components, the rich Indian Knowledge systems, India’s artistic and cultural heritage, values – all deeply rooted in Bharat.”

Given the shortage of trained arts teachers, the textbooks include QR codes linking to audio and video demonstrations for self-learning.

According to Purecha, local teachers can also adapt the content for cultural activities. She noted that even parents and teachers from senior grades are showing interest in junior-level books for reference.

Assessment will be practical and project-based. Students will create group performances across dance, drama, applied arts, and music, which will be graded, though no written examinations are planned.

To ensure broader reach, the books have been translated into 19 languages, including Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Odia, Punjabi, Assamese, and others.