NCERT Class 9 Textbook Calls Gandhi’s Ram Rajya an Ideal Governance Model
A new NCERT Class 9 social science textbook presents Gandhi’s Ram Rajya as a governance ideal focused on welfare, justice, transparency and public duty.
A new NCERT Class 9 social science textbook presents Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of “Ram Rajya” as an ideal model of governance, linking it with transparency, compassion, public welfare and responsibility towards citizens.
The book, titled “Understanding Society India and Beyond – Part 2”, discusses governance through references to the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Vedic traditions. It explains that good governance is not simply about exercising authority but about ensuring justice, peace, prosperity and social well-being.
The textbook cites the Sanskrit saying, “Prajasukhe sukham rajnah, prajanam cha hite hitam”, which conveys that a ruler’s happiness lies in the happiness and welfare of the people.
It states that Gandhi viewed Ram Rajya as an ideal form of governance and describes it as an example of good governance and collective life as represented through the Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas.
The chapter also introduces the concept of Rajdharma, highlighting the duties and responsibilities associated with righteous governance. It places these ideas within a broader discussion of Indian political and social traditions.
The textbook is part of the revised Class 9 curriculum aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 and the National Education Policy 2020. The new material covers history, geography, political science and economics, bringing traditional references into contemporary discussions on governance.
