Class 8 maths becomes cool with NCERT's new book Ganit Prakash

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released a new book on Class 8 maths called Ganit Prakash, which has been posted on NCERT's official web page.

It is in sync with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. It has already come out with ten of its books in detail this year for Classes 5 and 8.

AN INTERACTIVE, ACTIVITY-BASED APPROACH

Ganit Prakash is activity-based and fun-based, by using puzzles, storytelling, and recall of India's rich mathematical heritage -- from Aryabhata and Bhaskaracharya to Ramanujan.

The book has been authored in a manner such that it would challenge critical thinking and contextualize mathematics to guide the students step by step on how to think and build conceptual confidence.

NCERT has given the textbook source book status for the students, parents, and teachers to try to introduce a smiling goal-oriented learning system.

ADDITIONAL NEP-ALIGNED TEXTBOOKS

Ganit Prakash book is one of the full revision of Class 8 book materials. New Science, Social Science, English, Hindi, Art and Vocational books have also been published.

They are committed to experiential, heritage and inclusive learning to transition from rote to creative, inter-disciplinary and skill-based learning.

For instance, in a Class 8 Science textbook, Curiosity, insertions of India's scientific legacy -- situating early concepts of atoms and water clocks -- within modern science concepts.

The Social Science book is balanced, for instance a 22-page chapter on Marathas and balanced evaluation of Mughal emperors.

CULTURAL ROOTING THROUGH TEXTBOOK TITLES

NCERT has encouraged the use of Hindi titles and Roman script for certain subjects -- Indianizing a past practice. Ganit Prakash is one such example. The inspiration is to be understood as homogeneous and culturally motivated. But there have been states that have been at loggerheads.

NCERT does assist the change by quoting that names like Ganit Prakash transcend cultural norms and are a contribution India is making to mathematics.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

This shift of emphasis towards India's epistemological heritage based curriculum complemented by experiential learning is for learning as well as for critical thinking.

NCERT model conforms to NEP vision of contextualization of education so that it becomes a more robust culturally responsive and creative effort.

With books like these received by NCERT, it continues to enrich content with inputs received from parents, children, and teachers. Success with Ganit Prakash and other similar books has long-term effects on influencing teachers and the method of teaching in India