Tax Slabs, Investments, Budgeting: What NCERT Class 9 Students Will Learn About Money

Last Updated:October 02, 2026, 10:56 IST

According to NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Class 9 students can now work through the actual slab-wise calculation of income tax under the new tax regime.

The textbook, Understanding Society: India and Beyond – Part 2, was released on Tuesday, around six months after the new academic session began. (File/Representative Image)

The NCERT has introduced personal income tax as part of the Class 9 curriculum, combining lessons on tax calculation with a civic message that paying taxes honestly and on time is an important responsibility of citizens.

The textbook, Understanding Society: India and Beyond – Part 2, was released on Tuesday, around six months after the new academic session began. The first part of the textbook was released in June.

According to NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Class 9 students can now work through the actual slab-wise calculation of income tax under the new tax regime. The exercise is accompanied by a civic message describing the honest and timely payment of taxes as an “important responsibility of every citizen” that contributes to the nation’s development, reported PTI.

The chapter, “Managing Your Personal Finances,” begins with the idea that financial management starts in childhood. It explains that managing money is not merely about earning more but also involves making informed decisions about spending, saving, investing, managing risks, borrowing and paying taxes.

“The choices individuals make today shape their financial future and determine their ability to achieve financial stability while managing financial opportunities and challenges,” the textbook says.

The chapter includes a table of income-tax slabs under the new tax regime and explains the steps involved in calculating tax liability based on those slabs. It does not discuss the old tax regime.

“India follows a slab system for calculating income tax as shown in table,” the textbook says, followed by a chart detailing the slabs under the new regime.

The new income-tax regime was introduced in 2020 and became the default regime from the financial year 2023-24. Under the current system, taxpayers can still opt for the old regime, subject to the applicable rules.

The NCERT chapter also introduces the “pillars of personal finance”, covering income or earnings, budgeting or planning expenses, saving, investing and protection and risk management.

Under a section on the “power of early investments,” the textbook introduces students to investment options including fixed deposits, bonds, stocks or equity shares, and mutual funds.

The official NCERT Grade 9 syllabus also lists personal income tax under personal financial management, with students expected to understand the concept of income tax and why citizens are required to pay it.

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What personal finance topics are included in the new NCERT Class 9 textbook?

The new NCERT Class 9 textbook, Understanding Society: India and Beyond – Part 2, introduces personal finance concepts including personal income tax slabs, budgeting, saving, investing, and risk management.

When was the new personal income tax regime introduced and made default in India?

The new income-tax regime was introduced in 2020 and subsequently became the default tax regime from the financial year 2023-24.

What investment options are taught to Class 9 students under the new NCERT syllabus?

Under the power of early investments section, the textbook introduces students to various investment choices such as fixed deposits, bonds, stocks or equity shares, and mutual funds.

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