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By Karan singh ildefaultfield
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Updated on 24 Aug 2026, 17:12 IST
NCERT Books for Class 3 mark the start of the Preparatory Stage, where children move from early foundational learning into more structured, subject-based study. NCERT publishes the core Class 3 textbooks in line with the CBSE curriculum, covering English, Hindi, Mathematics, and Environmental Studies (EVS). Class 3 is the first year EVS appears as a standalone subject, rather than being folded into English and Hindi stories.
As part of NCERT’s rollout under NEP 2020 and the NCF for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, the NCERT Class 3 books have been renamed and restructured for the 2026-27 session:
Many schools are still completing this transition, so both editions remain in circulation. This page covers the current 2026-27 titles, with free chapter-wise PDFs available in English and Hindi medium.
| Subject | Current Book | Previous Edition | Medium |
| English | Santoor | Marigold | English |
| Hindi | Veena | Rimjhim | Hindi |
| Mathematics | Maths Mela | Math-Magic | English/Hindi |
| EVS | The World Around Us: Our Wondrous World | Looking Around | English/Hindi |
Santoor is the current NCERT Class 3 English book, with 12 chapters across 4 units.
| Unit | Chapter | Title |
| 1: Fun with Friends | 1 | Colours |
| 1: Fun with Friends | 2 | Badal and Moti |
| 1: Fun with Friends | 3 | Best Friends |
| 2: Toys and Games | 4 | Out in the Garden |
| 2: Toys and Games | 5 | Talking Toys |
| 2: Toys and Games | 6 | Paper Boats |
| 3: Good Food | 7 | The Big Laddoo |
| 3: Good Food | 8 | Thank God |
| 3: Good Food | 9 | Madhu’s Wish |
| 4: The Sky | 10 | Night |
| 4: The Sky | 11 | Chanda Mama Counts the Stars |
| 4: The Sky | 12 | Chandrayaan |
Marigold — Previous Edition
| Chapter | Title |
| 1 | Good Morning / The Magic Garden |
| 2 | Bird Talk / Nina and the Baby Sparrows |
| 3 | Little by Little / The Enormous Turnip |
| 4 | Sea Song / A Little Fish Story |
| 5 | The Balloon Man / The Yellow Butterfly |
| 6 | Trains / The Story of the Road |
| 7 | Puppy and I / Little Tiger, Big Tiger |
| 8 | What’s in the Mailbox? / My Silly Sister |
| 9 | Don’t Tell / He is My Brother |
| 10 | How Creatures Move / The Ship of the Desert |
Veena is the current NCERT Class 3 Hindi book.
| Chapter | Title |
| 1 | सीखो (Seekho) |
| 2 | चींटी (Cheenti) |
| 3 | कितने पैर? (Kitne Pair?) |
| 4 | बया हमारी चिड़िया रानी (Baya Hamaari Chidiya Raani) |
| 5 | आम का पेड़ (Aam Ka Ped) |
| 6 | बीरबल की खिचड़ी (Birbal Ki Khichadi) |
| 7 | मित्र को पत्र (Mitr Ko Patr) |
| 8 | चतुर गीदड़ (Chatur Geedad) |
| 9 | प्रकृति पर्व फूलदेई (Prakrti Parv Phooladeee) |
| 10 | रस्साकशी (Rassaakashi) |
| 11 | एक जादुई पिटारा (Ek Jaaduee Pitaara) |
| 12 | अपना-अपना काम (Apana Apana Kaam) |
| 13 | पेड़ों की अम्मा थिमक्का (Pedon Kee Amma Thimakka) |
| 14 | किसान की कोशियारी (Kisaan Ki Koshiyaari) |
| 15 | भारत (Bhaarat) |
| 16 | चंद्रयान (Chandrayaan) |
Rimjhim — Previous Edition
| Chapter | Title |
| 1 | Kakku |
| 2 | Sheikhi Ne Sar Uthaya |
| 3 | Chand Wali Amma |
| 4 | Man Karta Hai |
| 5 | Bahadur Bitto |
| 6 | Hamse Sab Kahte |
| 7 | Titli Aur Kali |
| 8 | Mira Bahen Aur Baagh |
| 9 | Sab Se Achha Ped |
| 10 | Kuchh Anokhi Uddan |
| 11 | Krishi Ka Naam |
| 12 | Aasman Gira |
| 13 | Sooraj Aur Chanda |
| 14 | Aakhri Chatri |
| 15 | Sacchi Dosti |
Maths Mela is the current NCERT Class 3 Maths book, with 14 chapters.

| Chapter | Title |
| 1 | What’s in a Name? |
| 2 | Toy Joy |
| 3 | Double Century |
| 4 | Vacation with My Nani Maa |
| 5 | Fun with Shapes |
| 6 | House of Hundreds – I |
| 7 | Raksha Bandhan |
| 8 | Fair Share |
| 9 | House of Hundreds – II |
| 10 | Fun at Class Party! |
| 11 | Filling and Lifting |
| 12 | Give and Take |
| 13 | Time Goes On |
| 14 | The Surajkund Fair |
Math-Magic — Previous Edition
| Chapter | Title |
| 1 | Where to Look From |
| 2 | Fun with Numbers |
| 3 | Give and Take |
| 4 | Long and Short |
| 5 | Shapes and Designs |
| 6 | Fun with Give and Take |
| 7 | Time Goes On |
| 8 | Who is Heavier? |
| 9 | How Many Times? |
| 10 | Play with Patterns |
| 11 | Jugs and Mugs |
| 12 | Can We Share? |
| 13 | Smart Charts! |
| 14 | Rupees and Paise |
The World Around Us: Our Wondrous World is the current NCERT Class 3 EVS book.

JEE

NEET

Foundation JEE

Foundation NEET

CBSE
| Unit | Chapter | Title |
| 1: Our Families and Communities | 1 | Family and Friends |
| 1: Our Families and Communities | 2 | Going to the Mela |
| 1: Our Families and Communities | 3 | Celebrating Festivals |
| 2: Life Around Us | 4 | Getting to Know Plants |
| 2: Life Around Us | 5 | Plants and Animals Live Together |
| 2: Life Around Us | 6 | Living in Harmony |
| 3: Nature’s Gifts | 7 | Water is Precious |
| 3: Nature’s Gifts | 8 | Our Food |
Note: Chapters 1–8 above are independently confirmed. Sources place the total chapter count for this book at around 12, but I could not independently verify chapters 9–12 — please confirm the remaining chapters against the official NCERT reprint before publishing.
Looking Around — Previous Edition (24 Chapters)
| Chapter | Title |
| 1 | Poonam’s Day Out |
| 2 | The Plant Fairy |
| 3 | Water O’ Water! |
| 4 | Our First School |
| 5 | Chhotu’s House |
| 6 | Foods We Eat |
| 7 | Saying Without Speaking |
| 8 | Flying High |
| 9 | It’s Raining |
| 10 | What is Cooking |
| 11 | From Here to There |
| 12 | Work We Do |
| 13 | Sharing Our Feelings |
| 14 | The Story of Food |
| 15 | Making Pots |
| 16 | Games We Play |
| 17 | Here Comes a Letter |
| 18 | A House Like This |
| 19 | Our Friends – Animals |
| 20 | Drop by Drop |
| 21 | Families Can Be Different |
| 22 | Left-Right |
| 23 | A Beautiful Cloth |
| 24 | Web of Life |
NCERT is CBSE’s official prescribed textbook set, giving it a clear edge over private alternatives. Private publisher books work well as a supplement for extra practice, but they shouldn’t replace the NCERT textbooks, which remain the official reference point for CBSE assessments.
| Parameter | NCERT | Private Publishers |
| CBSE Alignment | Official | Varies |
| Language Level | Age-appropriate | Varies |
| Cost | Free PDF / Low | Higher |
| Approach | Activity + concept | Varies |
| Availability | Pan-India | Limited |
| Recommendation | Schools / CBSE | Optional |
Infinity Learn offers free NCERT books, NCERT solutions, worksheets, and revision notes for Class 3, alongside:

Whether your child’s school has already moved to Santoor, Veena, Maths Mela, and The World Around Us: Our Wondrous World, or is still using the earlier Marigold, Rimjhim, Math-Magic, and Looking Around editions, NCERT Books for Class 3 give students a strong, curriculum-aligned foundation to build on. Regular practice and revision at this stage make a real difference heading into Class 4.
No courses found
Four core subjects: English, Hindi, Mathematics, and EVS. This marks an expansion from Class 2, as EVS is introduced as a formal subject at this stage.
Yes, Class 3 is the first year EVS is taught as a standalone subject, currently covered through The World Around Us: Our Wondrous World.
The current NCERT Class 3 Maths textbook is Maths Mela, with 14 chapters, replacing the earlier Math-Magic for the 2026-27 session.
Yes, all NCERT Class 3 textbooks are available in both English and Hindi medium.
Free, chapter-wise PDFs for all four subjects — covering both current and earlier editions — are available above.
Yes. The 2026-27 session reflects NCERT’s transition to NEP 2020- and NCF-SE 2023-aligned textbooks: Santoor, Veena, Maths Mela, and The World Around Us: Our Wondrous World.
16 chapters, based on the currently available official chapter list.
The current book, The World Around Us: Our Wondrous World, is commonly cited as having around 12 chapters; 8 are independently confirmed here. Its predecessor, Looking Around, had 24 chapters covering similar themes in greater depth.
NCERT builds a strong conceptual foundation. Students preparing specifically for Olympiad exams typically benefit from supplementary, application-based practice alongside the core syllabus.
Reading aloud and discussing the Santoor and Veena chapters together strengthens comprehension, while relating EVS topics to real-world experiences — a market visit or a local festival — reinforces classroom learning effectively.
Yes, NCERT textbooks are the officially prescribed learning material for CBSE-affiliated schools at the Class 3 level.