Quick answer: For 2026-27, CBSE Class 8 follows the new NCERT books: Ganita Prakash (Maths), Curiosity (Science) and Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Social Science). The chapters are new, so old guides and notes for Class 8 no longer match.
The new Class 8 books are built around activities, puzzles and real-life examples rather than long definitions. That makes them more interesting to read – and harder to revise, because the key points are spread across stories and activities. Here is what each book covers.
Maths: Ganita Prakash
The book is split over the year. The first half covers A Square and a Cube, Power Play, A Story of Numbers, Quadrilaterals, Number Play, We Distribute, Yet Things Multiply and Proportional Reasoning – 1. The second half covers Fractions in Disguise, The Baudhayana-Pythagoras Theorem, Proportional Reasoning – 2, Exploring Some Geometric Themes, Tales by Dots and Lines, Algebra Play and Area.
Revision tip: after each chapter, write the rules and identities on one page in your own words – for example, the patterns for squares and cubes, the laws of exponents, and a² + b² = c² with two worked examples.
Science: Curiosity
Chapters include Exploring the Investigative World of Science, The Invisible Living World, Health: The Ultimate Treasure, Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects, Exploring Forces, Pressure, Winds, Storms and Cyclones, Particulate Nature of Matter, Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds and Mixtures, The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents and Solutions, Light: Mirrors and Lenses, Keeping Time with the Skies, How Nature Works in Harmony and Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life-Sustaining Planet.
Revision tip: each chapter has a few activities that explain the main idea. Note the activity, what was observed and the conclusion in three lines – that is usually what the exam asks.
Social Science: Exploring Society: India and Beyond
The book mixes history, geography, political science and economics. Chapters include Natural Resources and Their Use, Reshaping India’s Political Map, The Rise of the Marathas, The Colonial Era in India, Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System, The Parliamentary System, Factors of Production, and in the second part World Geography, India’s Long Road to Independence, A Journey Through Indian Architecture, The Role of the Judiciary, Citizenship: Rights and Duties, Dynamics of Population, India’s Urban Landscape and Cultural Currents: 13th to 17th Centuries.
Revision tip: turn every history chapter into a timeline and every civics chapter into a two-column table (what it is / why it matters).
Notes that match the new books
Because the chapters are new, notes made for the old Class 8 syllabus will not line up. Our new Class 8 books follow the new NCERT books chapter by chapter: the Maths Formula Sheet, Science Short Notes and Social Science Short Notes, or all three as a set for ₹799.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ganita Prakash the Class 8 Maths book for 2026-27?
Yes, Ganita Prakash is the new NCERT Maths textbook for Class 8.
Are the old Class 8 NCERT books still used?
CBSE schools follow the new books. Always check the book list your school has given.
