Big changes are coming to our classrooms! The NCERT has released a draft syllabus for Grade 9, set to commence in the 2026-27 academic session.
This isn’t just a minor update; it is a complete reconfiguration designed to move away from rote memorization and toward conceptual understanding and real-world application.
In line with our mission here at Studyless.in to help you score more by studying with strategic efficiency, this new framework focuses on experiential learning and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS).
Whether you are a student gearing up for Phase I of the Secondary Stage or a teacher planning ahead, understanding these “Learning Standards” is the first step to staying ahead.
What’s Changing?
- Science: A shift toward inquiry-based learning, linking observation and experimentation to everyday life.
- Mathematics: Move beyond mechanical procedures to focus on logical reasoning and mathematical modeling.
- Social Science: An integrated approach that combines History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics to interpret society with critical awareness.
- New Subjects: Introduction of “Individuals in Society” to help students navigate personal identity and ethics.
The new textbooks are currently under development and are expected to be available by March 2026. Stay tuned as we break down each subject to help you master the new curriculum without the overwhelm!
1. Cell
- Discovery of the cell
- Plant and animal cells
- Prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cells - Cell as a structural and
functional unit of life;
structure and function
of key organelles
(nucleus, mitochondria,
chloroplast, endoplasmic
reticulum, vacuoles,
plasma membrane, cell
wall) - Permeability of the cell
membranes - Cellular division and
cancer - Recent advancement in
cell biology
2. Tissues
- Tissues: Introduction and
importance - Level of organisation in
the living organisms - Plant and animal tissues
- Types of plant tissues
- Meristematic tissues
(types and functions of
each) - Permanent tissues (types,
structure and function of
each) - Animal tissues
- Overview (epithelial,
connective, muscular, and
nervous tissues — types,
structure and function of
each) - An elementary idea of
musculoskeletal system - Care of musculoskeletal
system: injuries, postural
care, nutrition, and
exercice
3. Reproduction
Introduction to
different forms of
reproduction — sexual
and asexual
- Types of asexual
reproduction with
examples - Sexual reproduction in
flowering plants (flower
and its parts, pollination,
fertilisation, seed
dispersal) - Sexual reproduction
in humans: male and
female reproductive
systems (structure and
function, formation of
gametes, sperm and egg,
fertilisation, pregnancy
and development of
embryo, menstrual cycle) - Reproductive health and
hygiene - Introduction to birth
control methods and
importance
4. Diversity
Importance of
classification
- Five kingdoms and
their key features with
examples - Major division of animals
and plants - Binomial nomenclature
- Acellular entities: viruses
5. Exploring Mixtures and Their Separation
- Homogeneous and
heterogeneous mixtures; - Solutions, suspensions,
colloids and their
properties - Various ways to express
concentration of solutions
(mass by mass percentage
of a solution, mass by
volume percentage of
a solution, volume by
volume percentage of a
solution) - Separation techniques
based on the physical
properties of components,
including crystallisation,
distillation, paper
chromatography,
sublimation,
centrifugation and
coagulation
6. Structure of an Atom
Atoms are the basic units
of elements
- Atoms consist of
subatomic particles - Atomic Models
(Thomson’s Model,
Rutherford’s Model, and
Bohr’s Model) - Distributions of electrons
in elements (up to 18
elements) - Symbols
- Valency as the combining
capacity - Atomic number
- Mass number
- Isotopes
- Isobars
7. Atoms And Molecules
Law of conservation of
mass
- Law of constant proportion
- Dalton’s Atomic theory
- Molecules of elements,
Molecules of covalent
compounds and their
properties - Ions, Ionic compounds
and their properties - Writing chemical formulae
- Molecular mass
- Formula unit mass
8. Earth as a System: Energy, Matter, and Life
Earth as interconnected
system
- Nature of solar energy:
solar radiation,
electromagnetic
spectrum, and speed of
light - Solar energy interaction
with the Earth’s Surface
and differential heating
of the Earth (the role of
the atmosphere and the
Earth’s surface) - Differential warming of
The Earth causes winds - Biogeochemical cycles
(water cycle, carbon
cycle, nitrogen cycle,
oxygen cycle) - Human impact on Earth’s
system
9. Motion
Motion — displacement,
velocity, acceleration
- Graphical representation
of motion for an object
moving in a straight line
in one direction (with
constant velocity, and
constant acceleration) - Kinematic equations
for motion in a straight
line with constant
acceleration (by graphical
method) - Elementary idea of
uniform circular motion
10. Force and Laws of Motion
Force; balanced and
unbalanced forces
- Force of friction
- Newton’s first law of
motion - Newton’s second law of
motion - Newton’s third law of
motion
11. Work, Energy, and Simple Machines
Concept of work; work
done by a constant force
- Work-Energy theorem
- Mechanical energy,
kinetic and potential
energy, and conversion
between potential energy
and kinetic energy - Conservation of energy
- Power
- Simple machines
and their mechanical
advantage (pulley,
inclined plane, lever)
12. Sound
Production of sound
- Propagation of sound
(as a longitudinal wave
through a medium) - Graphical representation
of sound wave - Characteristics of sound
wave (wavelength,
frequency, time period,
amplitude, intensity,
speed) - Human perception of
sound (pitch, loudness) - Propagation of sound in
different media (solid,
liquid) - Reflection of sound
(echo, reverberation),
echolocation
