The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced a new Class 9 English textbook titled Kaveri, marking a shift towards greater representation of Indian writers and themes drawn from the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS).

Developed in line with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 (NCF-SE 2023), the book replaces the earlier English textbooks Beehive and Moments, which had been in use since the 2006–07 academic session until 2025–26.

Unlike the earlier set of textbooks—where 15 out of 29 texts were by international authors—Kaveri offers a more balanced literary mix, featuring equal representation of Indian and foreign writers.

The anthology includes 16 texts, half of which are written by Indian authors. These include works by Tamil poet Subramania Bharati, author and Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty, Naga writer Temsula Ao, Assamese novelist Mitra Phukan, and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

The book opens with a story from Murty’s 2004 collection How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories, setting the tone for the new volume’s emphasis on relatable narratives and Indian cultural contexts.

International contributions in the textbook include works by American poet David Roth, English poet Charles Swain, children’s writer Bryanna T. Perkins, poet Robert Langley, writer Maya Anthony, and Singapore-based author Irene Chua.

The compilation also features an anonymous poem titled Gifts of Grace: Honouring Our Vocations and an interview-based piece, The World of Limitless Possibilities, which highlights the journey of Paralympic athlete Deepa Malik.

Officials said the revision is part of efforts to simplify the curriculum. 

The number of textbooks for Class 9 English has been reduced from two to one, while the total number of texts has been cut from 29 to 16, creating what the council describes as a more focused and streamlined syllabus with balanced global and Indian perspectives.