NCERT Class 9 textbook revives contested Sengol narrative

The Class 9 social science textbook has linked India's constitutional mottos to ancient texts, reigniting debate around the Sengol narrative. The textbook connects Satyameva Jayate to the Mundaka Upanishad and the Supreme Court's Yato Dharmastato Jayah to the Mahabharata.

The Sengol, a ceremonial staff presented to Jawaharlal Nehru at Independence, remains the subject of historical contestation regarding its origins and symbolic meaning. The textbook's framing has drawn attention to how educational materials address this contested historical moment.