NCERT Brings Tax, Investing To Class 9: How This 15-Year-Old Build A Rs 13.9 Lakh Portfolio

Last Updated:October 02, 2026, 1:07 pm IST

While NCERT has included financial literacy at class 9 book, meet Sinchana Santosh, a Class 10 student, who has built an investment portfolio valued at around Rs 13.9 lakh.

At 14, Sinchana Santosh created a history-based card game based on the NCERT syllabus. (Image: Screengrab/ PowerUp Money)

For years, financial literacy for school students has largely meant understanding basic concepts such as saving money, distinguishing between needs and wants and learning how banks work. But NCERT’s latest Class 9 textbook takes the subject several steps further. It has now included income tax, budgeting, saving, investing and even risk management in the school curriculum.

The shift in classroom content also provides an interesting backdrop to the story of a 15-year-old Bengaluru student who has already moved beyond learning about money in textbooks.

Sinchana Santosh, a Class 10 student, has reportedly built an investment portfolio worth around Rs 13.9 lakh, under her parents’ supervision, reported Moneycontrol. Her interest in money began with saving. By the age of 12, she had accumulated about Rs 10,000 in a piggy bank.

Her parents encouraged her to understand money management and financial decision-making. When she wanted to buy a telescope, she was asked to contribute towards the purchase herself. She raised Rs 10,000 from relatives, while her parents contributed another Rs 2,000.

Sinchana learnt about financial markets through her parents and online resources and has completed two NISM certifications and a SEBI certification. Her investment portfolio includes equity and mutual funds in Indian and international markets and is intended, according to the report, to support her higher education in the future.

At 14, she created ITIHASA – The Royal Game, a history-based card game based on the NCERT syllabus. As many as 170 sets were donated to 36 government schools in Bengaluru, with school principals trained to use the game. She is now developing a strategy-based card game focused specifically on financial literacy.

The game is intended to introduce students to subjects including budgeting, banking, interest, inflation, investing, risk, insurance, credit, debt and financial fraud. Her stated ambition is to eventually reach 1 million students through financial-literacy initiatives.

NCERT’s new chapter brings many of these concepts into the classroom, Sinchana’s experience offers a glimpse of what financial learning can look like when it moves beyond the textbook and into practical decision-making.

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What new financial topics has NCERT included in its Class 9 textbook curriculum?

NCERT has updated its Class 9 textbook curriculum to incorporate practical financial topics such as income tax, budgeting, saving, investing, and risk management.

How did 15-year-old Sinchana Santosh build her investment portfolio?

Under her parents’ supervision, Bengaluru student Sinchana Santosh built an investment portfolio worth approximately Rs 13.9 lakh, which includes equity and mutual funds in both Indian and international markets.

What certifications and educational games has Sinchana Santosh completed or developed?

Sinchana has completed two NISM certifications and a SEBI certification. Additionally, she created a history-based card game titled ITIHASA and is developing a strategy-based card game focused on financial literacy.

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