For the first time, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has included a detailed reference to the Emergency in a Class 9 textbook, describing it as “one of the major challenges to democracy” in India.
The topic features in the Social Science textbook, Understanding Society: India and Beyond, which examines both the strengths and challenges of Indian democracy.
The inclusion is significant as India recently marked 50 years since the declaration of the Emergency by then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. The Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies have frequently cited the period to criticise the Congress, especially in recent years and during the 50th anniversary commemorations.
“One of the major challenges to democracy in India was recorded when an Emergency was imposed in 1975-77,” the chapter states. It notes that public dissatisfaction with the Indira Gandhi government had been growing in the early 1970s due to rising unemployment, inflation and allegations of misgovernance.
According to the textbook, these developments triggered widespread protests, following which the government declared a National Emergency in June 1975 on the grounds of internal disturbance.
“During this period, a majority of Fundamental Rights were suspended, the press was censored, and numerous political leaders and activists were arrested. Democratic institutions came under severe strain, and citizens’ freedom was restricted,” the text states.
The chapter also highlights the role of socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as Lok Nayak, in mobilising citizens, including students, particularly in Bihar and Gujarat, against the Emergency.
The Emergency was lifted in 1977, and the subsequent general election resulted in the defeat of Indira Gandhi and the Congress government, ending the party’s uninterrupted rule at the Centre since Independence.
Referring to the outcome, the textbook notes that the electorate’s decision underscored the resilience and importance of democratic institutions in India.
