As per the Education Ministry officials, new NCERT textbooks revised in accordance with the new National Education Policy (NEP) are likely to be introduced in schools beginning with the 2024-25 academic year.

The textbooks will be created using the National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

"The new textbooks are expected to be introduced during the 2024-25 academic year." It is a difficult task, but we are striving for it. The textbooks will be revised in accordance with the new NCF, on which work is already underway. "Creating textbooks is a time-consuming process," a senior MoE official told PTO.

All textbooks developed in accordance with the revised NCF by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will be available in digital format as well.

"Because COVID-19 demonstrated that there is a demand for digital learning, all of the new textbooks will be made available digitally at the same time so that anyone can download them," he added.

Noting that textbooks should not be "static," the official stated that an institutional framework will be developed to ensure that textbooks are regularly updated.

All textbooks developed in accordance with the revised NCF will be available in digital format as well.

"Because COVID-19 taught us that there is a demand for digital learning, all of the new textbooks will be made available digitally at the same time so that anyone can download them," he added.

Noting that textbooks should not be "static," the official stated that an institutional framework will be developed to ensure that textbooks are updated on a regular basis.

In 2020, the Centre began the process of revising school textbooks by appointing former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Kasturirangan to lead a 12-member steering committee charged with developing a new National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

NCF for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCFECCE), NCF for School Education (NCFSE), NCF for Teacher Education (NCFTE), and NCF for Adult Education are the four NCFs being developed (NCFAE).

Detailing the process, the senior official said that all states and Union Territories have first prepared their State Curriculum Frameworks (SCFs) passing through the process of district level consultations, mobile app survey and development of position papers by the State Focus Groups in 25 areas or themes identified as per the NEP, 2020 including ECCE, Teacher Education and Adult Education.

“These draft SCFs will provide inputs to the development of NCFs. States, UTs and autonomous organisations working under MoE, all will attempt this process to provide inputs for the NCFs. Recommendations of NEP, 2020 will be kept in view during the whole process.

"Four NCFs are being prepared using insights from these position papers and draught SCFs." Draft NCFs will be translated into the 22 languages specified in the Constitution's eighth schedule and distributed to states and UTs for comment. Taking into account their feedback, the NCFs will be finalised and submitted to the Ministry of Education for approval. Following approval, the documents will be distributed to states for revision of the draught SCFs as well as implementation," he added.

The NCF for the foundational stage (FS) was launched by the Ministry of Education last year and according to the curriculum framework, the NCERT has developed and collected the learning-teaching material (LTM).

Toys, puzzles, puppetry, posters, flash cards, worksheets and attractive storybooks are part of the “Jaadui Pitara” launched by the Ministry of Education for learning at the foundational stage.