PRAYAGRAJ, June 14 -- More than 1.25 lakh government-run primary, upper primary and composite schools across Uttar Pradesh are set to adopt NCERT-based textbooks for Classes 5 to 8 from the 2027-28 academic session as part of the state's phased implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP). The basic education department has already introduced NCERT textbooks in Classes 1 to 4, with the rollout reaching Class 4 in the current 2026-27 academic session. The next phase will extend the transition to upper primary classes, officials of the basic education department said. Experts at the State Institute of Education (SIE), Prayagraj, are currently customising NCERT textbooks for Class 5 in subjects such as Hindi, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Art and Urdu, besides revising Social Science textbooks for Classes 6 to 8. The exercise aims to integrate state-specific examples, local geography, history, culture and other contextual references while ensuring alignment with the National Curriculum Framework. The revision process has involved specialists from a range of disciplines, including Hindi, Mathematics, Art, Urdu, Pedagogy, Psychology, Science, History, Geography, Civics and Economics. Subject experts from the State Hindi Institute (Rajya Hindi Sansthan), Varanasi, and District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) in Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Bijnor, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi and Sultanpur have also participated in a series of workshops. While Science and Mathematics books are being revised by the State Science Education Institute, English textbooks are being adapted by the English Language Teaching Institute. Hindi textbooks are being customised at the State Hindi Institute in Varanasi, officials said. Once the revised content is finalised, the textbooks will be submitted to the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) for recommendations before being forwarded to the Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Council for final approval. "Following an extensive review of the newly developed NCERT textbooks, a series of workshops has been conducted to identify content that reflects Uttar Pradesh's history, geography, culture and social context. Suitable additions are being made into the textbooks," said Rajendra Pratap, principal, State Institute of Education, Prayagraj....