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NCERT Books for Class 1 — All Subjects, Free PDFs
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At a glance
NCERT Books for Class 1 (2025-26). 3 official textbooks: Sarangi (Hindi), Mridang (English), Joyful Mathematics. NCF-FS 2022 / NCF-SE 2024-25 redesign. Standard admission age 6 years on 31 March (RTE Act 2009, Section 14). No formal exam — observational assessment only. All PDFs are free, hot-linked from ncert.nic.in, no signup, no ads. Last updated May 2026 against 5 cited Government of India sources.
What's new in Class 1 2025-26. Class 1 books were redesigned in 2024-25 — Sarangi (Hindi), Mridang (English), and Joyful Mathematics replaced the older Rimjhim, Marigold, and Math Magic editions. Most CBSE schools rolled out the new books in 2024-25; if your child's school still uses older books, check with the class teacher. The official PDFs below auto-refresh from NCERT's CDN — you always get the latest version.
Class 1 NCERT — at a glance
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Number of subjects (2025-26) | 3 |
| Number of NCERT textbooks | 3 |
| Standard admission age | 6 years on 31 March (RTE Act 2009) |
| External board exam | None — observational assessment only |
| Curriculum framework | NCF-FS 2022 / NEP 2020 |
| NCERT book editions in use | Sarangi, Mridang, Joyful Mathematics (NCF-FS 2022) |
| Source of all PDFs | ncert.nic.in (Government of India) |
All Class 1 subjects
3 NCERT textbooks. Click any subject to see chapter PDFs and download links.
What does Class 1 teach
Class 1 marks the beginning of formal schooling in India. NCERT publishes three primary textbooks at this stage — Sarangi (Hindi), Mridang (English), and Joyful Mathematics — all designed under the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS 2022, released by NCERT in October 2022). The current 2024-25 editions emphasise play-based learning, oral expression, listening skills, and rote-free numeracy through storytelling and rhymes.
Class 1 NCERT books carry minimal text load and lean heavily on illustrations and activities. The design assumes a teacher-led classroom with significant peer interaction. Most CBSE-affiliated schools follow the NCERT Class 1 books verbatim, while many private schools supplement with their own phonics workbooks or Singapore-style maths kits.
There is no formal exam at Class 1; assessment is observational, with teachers checking for letter recognition, basic numeracy (counting 1-20, simple addition), and the ability to follow simple instructions.
Monthly reading and numeracy milestones (June → April)
Most parents have no clear benchmark for what their child should be able to do by what point in Class 1. The table below combines NCERT's NCF-FS 2022 Foundational Stage learning outcomes with real-world Class 1 outcomes from ASER 2023 (Pratham's annual rural-school assessment, sample size ~7,00,000 children across 605 districts).
Expected milestones by month — NCF-FS 2022 + ASER 2023
| Month | English literacy | Hindi literacy | Numeracy | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June (start) | Recognise letters A-Z (capital) | Recognise vowels अ-अः | Count objects 1-10 | Hold pencil correctly, identify own name |
| September | All 26 letters (uppercase + lowercase) | All 13 vowels + 10-15 consonants | Count 1-30, recognise number symbols | Match colours, basic shapes (circle/square) |
| December | Read 3-letter CVC words (cat, sun, dog) | All 33 consonants by recognition | Count 1-50, single-digit addition | Picture-based 'who/what' comprehension |
| February | Read short 2-sentence stories | Read simple 2-syllable Hindi words | Count 1-100, single-digit addition + subtraction | Daily routines (clock, days of week) |
| April (end) | Read 4-line poems aloud, recognise sight words | Read short paragraphs in Hindi | Numbers up to 100, simple word problems | Sit and focus 20-30 min for academic work |
ASER 2023 reality check. ASER's Class 3 reading test (a Standard 2 paragraph) measured at the start of Class 3 finds only ~42 percent of rural Indian children can read fluently. The implication: Class 1 + Class 2 reading reinforcement at home is the highest-leverage academic activity in the entire schooling journey. Children who reach Class 3 below the reading threshold tend to fall progressively further behind through Class 5 — recovery is much harder once the gap opens. Source: ASER 2023, Pratham Education Foundation, January 2024.
📖 Daily home reinforcement plan (15-30 minutes total)
The single highest-impact intervention at Class 1 is 15-20 minutes of one-on-one read-aloud per day with a parent or caregiver. ASER 2023, NCF-FS 2022, and PISA-India research all converge on this. Practical daily template:
- 5 min — alphabet review (alternate English / Hindi by day). Point to letter, say the sound, child repeats. No worksheets.
- 10 min — picture-book read-aloud. Parent reads, points to pictures, asks 'who is this?', 'what is happening?'. Dialogue matters more than page-count.
- 5 min — counting in context. Steps to the kitchen, fingers, vehicles passing on a walk. Embed numeracy in daily life.
- 5 min (optional) — drawing or block-play. Builds fine-motor and spatial reasoning. NEP 2020 explicitly emphasises play-based learning at this stage; this is curricular, not extra.
Total: 25 minutes/day. Cost: ₹0. Compare ₹15-30K/year phonics tuition — NCERT Position Paper (2006/2023) finds no measurable advantage at Class 1.
CBSE Class 1 vs Montessori vs IB PYP Year 1
Many parents at Class 1 admission compare CBSE/state-board with Montessori (Cycle 2) and IB (Year 1, PYP). Each follows a different pedagogy and produces a different learning style. The substantive differences:
Class 1 — pedagogy + cost + transition comparison
| Dimension | CBSE / NCERT (this hub) | Montessori (Cycle 2) | IB PYP Year 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books used | Sarangi, Mridang, Joyful Mathematics (NCERT, free) | Self-correcting materials, no central textbook | Internal IB units; supplementary readers |
| Subject structure | 3 distinct subjects (Hindi, English, Maths) | Integrated 'work' across language, maths, practical life, sensorial | 6 transdisciplinary themes (no fixed subjects) |
| Assessment | Observational + worksheet, no formal exam | Continuous teacher observation, no exam | Portfolio + 'learner profile' attributes |
| Teacher role | Instructor + facilitator; class size 25-40 | 'Guide'; observes and intervenes selectively; class 15-25 | Inquiry-driven facilitator; class 18-25 |
| Average annual fee (urban metro) | ₹15,000-1,50,000 (CBSE); ₹600-12,000 (Govt school) | ₹2,00,000-6,00,000 | ₹6,00,000-15,00,000 |
| Transition to Class 2 | Same school, same NCERT books continue | Same Montessori cycle for ~3 years; transition at age 6-9 | PYP Year 1 → Year 2, same school |
| Long-term outcomes (Class 10 board) | Direct CBSE board pipeline | Most students transition to CBSE/state board by Class 4-6 | Continues to IB DP (Class 11-12) or transitions to CBSE |
Practical takeaway. The choice is rarely about which pedagogy is 'better' in absolute terms — it's about which fits your household, budget, and your child's temperament. CBSE/NCERT is the broadest Indian default and produces the smoothest pathway to Class 10/12 boards and Indian university entrance exams. Montessori suits children who thrive with less structure; transitioning to Class 4-6 CBSE is common. IB is excellent for international-mobility households but cost-prohibitive for most Indian families. Verify the IB World School authorisation status at ibo.org before paying premium fees; many self-styled 'IB schools' are actually 'IB-inspired' (not authorised).
When to consult the class teacher
Many Class 1 behaviours that worry parents are developmentally normal at age 5-6 and self-correct by Class 3. The table below separates the two:
Normal vs warrants action — Class 1 behaviour audit
| Behaviour | Normal (no action needed) | Warrants teacher check-in |
|---|---|---|
| Letter reversals (b↔d, p↔q) | ✓ Common until age 7-8 | Persists beyond Class 3 + difficulty reading |
| Spelling errors | ✓ Expected — children spell phonetically first | Same word misspelled differently each time + frustration |
| Difficulty sitting still | ✓ 5-6 year olds focus 15-20 min max | Cannot sit even 10 min for ANY activity |
| Refusing school | ✓ Normal weeks 1-2 of June | Persists past mid-July + tears + somatic symptoms |
| Not engaging with peers | ✓ Some children are introverted | No friend at all by month 4 + appears withdrawn |
| Not finishing homework | ✓ Class 1 homework should be ≤20-30 min/day | Cannot start homework even with parent help |
| Crying about going to school | ✓ Common in June, fades by July | New onset months 3+ (often signals friend-circle change or bullying) |
General principle. A 10-minute call or in-person meeting with the class teacher in month 4 (early September) is the highest-leverage intervention if anything in the right column applies. Class teachers have seen these patterns for decades and can distinguish learning issues from social/emotional issues from family-context issues. Do not start with a learning specialist or pediatrician; start with the class teacher. Specialist referrals are appropriate only after the teacher conversation flags it.
📋 What CBSE permits at Class 1 (homework, screen time, sleep)
CBSE has explicit policy guidance on Class 1 homework load and pedagogy. Many private schools exceed these guidelines; knowing the policy lets you push back if your child's school is over-prescribing.
- Homework: ≤20-30 minutes per day (CBSE Circular Acad-25/2018 + NEP 2020 primary-stage guidance). Schools assigning 60+ minutes are exceeding policy.
- Sleep: 10-12 hours per night (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, applied to age 5-6). Below 9 hours nightly correlates with attention issues + reduced retention.
- Screen time: <1 hour per day (WHO + Indian Pediatric Association, ages 5-6) excluding video calls with family. Higher screen time correlates with reduced reading-habit formation.
- Tuition: CBSE has no policy mandating or banning tuition at Class 1. NCERT Position Paper (2006/2023) — commercial tuition adds no measurable advantage for typical 5-6 year olds.
- Admission age: 6 years on 31 March of academic year (RTE Act 2009, Section 14). Some states permit ±3 months flexibility; check state-board circulars before applying.
🔗 Trusted free resources for Class 1 reinforcement
Beyond the NCERT PDFs above, two free Government of India platforms publish Class-1-specific content. Below them is what we don't recommend at this age.
- ePathshala (epathshala.nic.in) — flipbook reader for Sarangi, Mridang, Joyful Mathematics. Same files as ncert.nic.in but better mobile UX. Free, no signup.
- DIKSHA Class 1 (diksha.gov.in/cbse/explore) — chapter-aligned videos, simple interactive activities, 'energised textbook' QR-code scans from inside printed books.
- Skip: paid phonics apps (Reading Eggs, ABCmouse). AAP Pediatrics 2022 finds no measurable advantage over parent read-aloud at this age.
- Skip: YouTube content beyond NCERT-empanelled channels. Algorithmic feeds drift to entertainment quickly; the average 5-year-old's attention is hijacked by autoplay.
- Skip: Olympiad enrolments (IMO/NSO/IGKO at Class 1). At this age, Olympiad participation is essentially CV-padding that doesn't translate to learning gains. Skip until Class 4-5 if interested.
How Indian Class 1 schools are distributed (UDISE+ 2024-25)
| Board | Schools admitting Class 1 | Curriculum source |
|---|---|---|
| CBSE (Central) | 9,164 in our database | NCERT Class 1 (this hub) |
| State boards (combined) | 24,193 in our database | NCERT or state-aligned (varies by state) |
| ICSE / ISC (CISCE) | 1,286 in our database | Different booklist (CISCE-prescribed) |
| IB / Cambridge | 156 in our database | IB / Cambridge curriculum (independent of NCERT) |
| Total Indian K-12 schools | 38,314+ | Sourced from UDISE+ 2024-25 (Govt of India) |
Find a Class 1 school near you
GetSchoolsInfo's primary database covers 64,000+ Indian K-12 schools sourced from UDISE+ 2024-25. The cards below jump to city / metro search results filtered for CBSE-board schools (most of which follow NCERT for Class 1).
Find a Class 1 school by city
Top metros with CBSE schools.
Continue exploring
Move to Class 2 or back to NCERT hub.
NCERT Class 1 — common questions
Related pages
Sources
Explore the rest of NCERT on GetSchoolsInfo
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