# NCERT panel on political science textbooks includes RSS-linked members

2026-08-19T19:53:54+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

The NCERT has reconstituted the Textbook Development Team for classes 11 and 12 political science, with a mandate to integrate cultural rootedness and Indian knowledge systems. At least four members have documented backgrounds in the RSS-affiliated ABVP or the BJP, according to records cited by ThePrint and Hindustan Times. Academic Sandeep Shastri will lead the team. Yadunath Deshpande, a senior consultant with the Ministry of Education, is listed as a former ABVP joint state organising secretary and BJP political consultant. Prashant Divekar is associated with RSS-affiliated Jnana Prabodhini, Vandana Mishra is a former ABVP national secretary, and Ravi Rameshchandra Shukla has ties to an RSS affiliate. The team also includes 15 other academics. The NCERT has directed the team to develop the class 11 textbook by November 2024 and the class 12 textbook by July 2025. The review process will focus on cross-cutting themes such as inclusion and Indian knowledge systems, according to an NCERT notification.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Both ThePrint and Hindustan Times report the same facts about the NCERT panel, using near-identical wire copy. ThePrint leads with the RSS and ABVP links in its headline and first paragraph, Hindustan Times also puts those links in its headline but buries them after the mandate in the body. Neither outlet adds independent sourcing from the NCERT or from critics of the appointments, and neither quotes any opposition figure. The coverage is uniform straight reporting with a slight difference in headline emphasis. The measured takeaway: the panel composition signals continuity with the NEP 2020 push for Indian knowledge systems, but the deadline-driven schedule (November 2024 for Class 11, July 2025 for Class 12) will test whether rapid production comes at the cost of wider academic consultation. Watch for the first draft review or any public comment from former textbook authors.

## Coverage

Coverage: 2 sources, 1 neutral, 1 sensationalist
- theprint.in (sensationalist) <https://theprint.in/india/education/ncert-reconstitutes-textbook-development-team-for-class-11-12-political-science-at-least-4-members-have-rss-links/3019309/>
  Leads with RSS links in headline, highlighting affiliation first
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ncert-reconstitutes-textbook-development-team-for-class-11-12-political-science-at-least-4-members-have-rss-links-101787149855117.html>
  Leads with RSS links in headline, but uses neutral wire

This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-19T23:47:13+00:00.

Tags: ABVP, Ministry of Education, NCERT, RSS, Sandeep Shastri
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