NCERT Launches Updated Class 8 English Textbook ‘Poorvi’ Spotlighting Indian Icons

In a major move toward restructuring school education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released an updated English textbook for Class 8 named Poorvi.

The recently released textbook is a concerted effort toward Eurocentric content shift toward stories based on Indian heritage, values, and role models.

Poorvi works to foster critical thinking, compassion, and inquiry by incorporating stories that reflect India's intellectual and cultural heritage. Emphasized are pioneers such as Major Somnath Sharma, India's first Param Vir Chakra recipient; Verghese Kurien, the father of the White Revolution; and Bibha Chowdhuri, India's trailblazing woman particle physicist.

Structured into five central themes — wit and wisdom, values and dispositions, mystery and magic, environment, and science and curiosity — the book uses a combination of narratives, poems, dialogues, and descriptive writing, all designed to appeal to students' everyday lives.

The first section is based on the witty folk tales of Tenali Rama, employing humor and wit to cultivate problem-solving abilities. The second unit, Values and Dispositions, includes motivational stories of patriotism and public service such as a narration of Major Sharma's heroism during the Battle of Badgam and passages from Verghese Kurien's autobiography I Too Had a Dream.

Additional sections stimulate creative thinking and social sensitivity. Mystery and Magic brings in fantasy stories and poetry to encourage creativity. The Environment unit has works by celebrated Indian voices like Ruskin Bond, Sarojini Naidu, and Kamakshi Balasubramanian to enrich students' environmental awareness.

In the last portion, Science and Curiosity, scientific achievement is in the limelight. A chapter on Bibha Chowdhuri attempts to motivate girls to study STEM subjects, pointing towards India's contribution to science and technology as well.

NCERT narrates that the new curriculum incorporates major cross-cutting themes — Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), gender sensitivity, inclusivity, and cultural heritage. The introductory note in the book clarifies: "Language education is essential for effective communication, aesthetic expression, and appreciation. Reasoning and critical thinking are closely linked with language use, and these are valuable capacities to be developed."

The title Poorvi has generated interest because of its cultural context. Based on the Indian raga Poorvi, the book defines the raga as representing peace and contemplation. "This raga is said to foster harmony and peace. Every raga in Indian music has its own emotional value, imparting a sense of serenity and contemplation to the process of learners, representing an harmonious merger of traditional and contemporary learning," the book elucidates.

This new Class 8 textbook is part of NCERT's phased roll-out of the NEP 2020 curriculum. The initiative commenced in 2023 with new textbooks for Classes 1 and 2, followed by Classes 3 and 6 in 2024. New textbooks have been launched this year for Classes 4, 5, 7, and 8.

By incorporating indigenous narratives, national heroes, and culturally appropriate material into education, Poorvi establishes the groundwork for a more grounded and introspective language learning experience in Indian classrooms.