NCERT clarifies Class 9 maths syllabus, says no topics dropped

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has clarified that its draft Class 9 Mathematics syllabus has not dropped any topics, but has redistributed several concepts across different chapters.

The clarification follows concerns over changes in the structure and content of the draft syllabus, particularly the treatment of Lines and Angles, Euclidean geometry and the introduction of algorithms.

NCERT said the syllabus released earlier was only a draft proposal circulated to seek feedback from teachers, students, authors and educators. The final version is expected to be released in October by NCERT/CBSE after considering the feedback received.

NCERT says topics were integrated, not removed

NCERT said the curriculum framework under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 is not designed around the number of chapters in a textbook.

Instead, the focus is on curricular goals, competencies and learning outcomes that students are expected to achieve.

“Curricular Goals state the broader aims of a curricular area (subject) at a stage; Competencies describe what learners should be able to attain at the end of that stage; and Learning Outcomes provide observable milestones for planning teaching–learning and assessment in every grade,” NCERT said.

The council said textbooks are among the resources used to achieve these goals and are structured to bring together content, activities, examples and opportunities for application.

“The purpose of a textbook chapter is to support competency development; chapterisation is merely a pedagogical arrangement, not an end in itself,” it said.

NCERT explained that some concepts that were earlier presented as standalone chapters have now been incorporated into other sections of the Class 9 Mathematics textbook.

For example, key ideas and applications related to Lines and Angles have been incorporated into the Grade 9 Part 2 chapters Propositions and Their Converses and Quadrilaterals. NCERT also pointed out that Lines and Angles already has a dedicated chapter in the Grade 6 Ganita Prakash textbook.

The council also clarified the changes involving Euclidean geometry, which covers concepts related to two-dimensional geometry, including polygons, circles, parallel lines and intersecting lines.

Instead of retaining a separate chapter centred on axioms, theorems and proofs, NCERT said relevant concepts have been distributed across Chapters 5, 6, 9, 12 and 13 of the Grade 9 Mathematics textbook.

According to NCERT, the restructuring followed consultations and feedback from teachers and educators, with the aim of strengthening conceptual understanding and enabling students to apply geometric ideas in different contexts.

Why algorithms added to Class 9 maths

NCERT has also explained the inclusion of a dedicated chapter on algorithms in Grade 9 Mathematics.

The council said the rapid growth of artificial intelligence has made it increasingly important for students to understand mathematical ideas associated with algorithms, data structures and running-time efficiency.

It said computational thinking is consistent with the direction outlined in NEP 2020 and that students should be introduced to the mathematical concepts underlying emerging technologies such as AI through their mathematics education.

NCERT added that a separate module on AI is also being developed. However, it said mathematical concepts connected with AI should also find a place in mathematics classrooms.

Final syllabus expected in October

NCERT reiterated that textbook chapters should not be viewed as a measure of the extent of the curriculum. Schools, teachers and boards should instead plan teaching and assessment around the competencies and learning outcomes students are expected to achieve.

The final Class 9 Mathematics syllabus, expected in October, will incorporate feedback on the draft and provide greater clarity on how the revised curriculum will be implemented in the coming academic session.