Ayodhya’s Ram temple replaces K’taka’s Jain temple in revised NCERT textbooks for Class 4

Prayagraj: Significant changes have been introduced in the NCERT textbooks for Class IV in over 1 lakh council-run primary schools across Uttar Pradesh from the 2026-27 academic session. The revised textbooks of mathematics, Hindi, environmental studies and art were customised to better reflect the state's social, cultural and educational context.One of the most notable changes was made in the mathematics textbook ‘Ganit Mela', particularly in the 4th chapter titled "Humare Aaspaas Hazaron Ki Sankhya". In this chapter, the earlier illustration of a Jain temple in Karnataka, along with related practice questions, was replaced by an image of Ayodhya's Shri Ram Temple and corresponding exercises. Additionally, names and references associated with southern India were modified—Gudappa was replaced with Ganesh, Muniamma with Meena, and coconut trees with aonla trees—to align better with the local milieu. In the Class IV Hindi textbook ‘Veena', several lessons were replaced. The lesson "Aasman Gira" was removed and replaced with "Hausla" from the Basic Education Council's textbook Phulwari. Similarly, the 1-page lesson "Golgappa" was substituted with "Daisy Ki Diary", while "Hawa Aur Dhool" was replaced by "Satya Ki Jeet", based on the story of Satyavadi Harishchandra. The art textbook ‘Bansuri' was also enriched with region-specific content. Alongside information on South Indian Kolam, the book now explains the tradition of Chauk Purna in Uttar Pradesh, the famed wooden toys from Chitrakoot, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Saharanpur, and features photographs of Pandit Chhannulal Mishra of the Banaras Gharana and renowned classical vocalist Girija Devi. Several musical references were localised, with Kajri, Barahmasa, Ganga Geet, and a Hindi-Avadhi-Bhojpuri lullaby replacing songs from southern and north-eastern regions. In the environmental studies textbook ‘Hamara Adbhut Sansar', new topics include Uttar Pradesh's state flower, local foods like matha-aloo, tehri and poori-sabzi, Shri Anna like kodo and ragi, the importance of sunlight in crop cultivation, festivals like Prabodhini Ekadashi, and paper manufacturing centres and research hubs in Jalaun and Saharanpur. According to principal, State Institute of Education, Rajendra Pratap, the testing and customisation of the textbooks were carried out keeping in mind Uttar Pradesh's educational conditions, local needs and environment and is expected to greatly benefit students.