The devastating floods that struck Punjab in 2025 have been included as a case study in the newly released Class 9 NCERT social science textbook, Understanding Society: India and Beyond – Grade 9 Part 1. The inclusion aims to help students understand the impact of natural disasters and disaster management through real-life examples.According to the textbook, a dedicated section on disasters has been designed using a worksheet-based approach, encouraging students to learn through personal experiences and independent research. “A section on disasters has been developed in a way which utilises the textbook as a worksheet model. In this section, students can write about disasters through their own experiences/searching through the net,” the book states.The textbook highlights the severe floods that hit Punjab in 2025 following heavy rainfall during the monsoon season and the swelling of the Satluj, Beas and Ravi rivers. The floods caused extensive damage across the state, affecting villages, agricultural land, residential areas and critical infrastructure.Detailing the impact of the disaster, the book points to the loss of lives, large-scale displacement and significant damage to agriculture and livestock. Thousands of residents were forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in relief camps. Vast stretches of farmland were submerged, severely affecting crops, particularly paddy.The textbook further states that poultry and dairy farms suffered extensive losses, while many animals, including cows, buffaloes and chickens, either died or fell ill. Roads, bridges, border fences and several public buildings were also damaged during the floods.In addition to disaster awareness, NCERT has emphasized multilingual learning through classroom activities. Students have been asked to translate a disaster management authority poster into their native language as part of an interactive exercise.The newly introduced textbook covers subjects including history, geography and political science, while integrating contemporary issues and experiential learning methods to enhance student engagement.