SC objects to judiciary chapter; NCERT apologizes over Class 8 book
SC objects to judiciary chapter; NCERT apologizes over Class 8 book
NCERT regrets an inappropriate section on corruption in the judiciary and will rewrite the chapter with experts as the Supreme Court weighs in.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) said it will place the circulation of a new Class 8 Social Science textbook on strict hold after the Supreme Court raised objections to a section on corruption in the judiciary. NCERT called the material “inappropriate” and said the error was purely unintentional, adding that the book would be rewritten in consultation with experts. The book will be available to Class 8 students from the 2026-27 academic session.
The council stressed that there is no intent to question or diminish the authority of any constitutional body, and reiterated that the objective of the revised textbooks is to strengthen constitutional literacy, institutional respect, and informed democratic participation among students.
The Department of School Education & Literacy (Ministry of Education) directed that the distribution of this book be kept on hold until further orders, and NCERT has complied. Officials noted that certain inappropriate textual material and errors of judgement had inadvertently crept into the chapter titled “The Role of Judiciary in Our Society.”
The move followed the Supreme Court’s suo motu cognizance of the matter, prompting the withdrawal of the new textbook from distribution and a pledge to rewrite the content in consultation with experts. The collaboration aims to produce a revised edition ready for the upcoming academic year, with a renewed commitment to presenting the judiciary in a balanced, factual light.
