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NCERT apologises for chapter after SC ire, says error was ‘purely unintentional’
NCERT it “regrets the inclusion of inappropriate material” in the chapter and will now rewrite it in consultation with experts.
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The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Wednesday said it will place the circulation of a new Class 8 Social Science textbook on “strict hold” on the directions of the Union Education Ministry after the Supreme Court’s objections to a section on “corruption in the judiciary.”
The council said it “regrets the inclusion of inappropriate material” in the chapter titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society” and will now rewrite it in consultation with experts. The book will be available to Class 8 students accordingly at the commencement of the 2026-27 academic session.
In a statement issued late on Wednesday night, NCERT said it “holds the judiciary in highest esteem and considers it to be the upholder of the Indian Constitution and protector of Fundamental Rights.” “The aforesaid error is purely unintentional and NCERT regrets the inclusion of inappropriate material in the said chapter,” it added.
ALSO READ | SC takes suo motu cognisance of NCERT Class 8 chapter on ‘corruption in judiciary’
NCERT released the second part of Class 8 social science textbook on Monday. “On receiving the textbook, it has been observed that certain inappropriate textual material and errors of judgement have inadvertently crept into Chapter entitled “The Role of Judiciary in our Society.” The Department of School Education & Literacy (Ministry of Education) also made a similar observation and directed that the distribution of this book may be kept on strict hold until further orders. The same has been complied with,” NCERT said.
The council said “There is no intent to question or diminish the authority of any constitutional body,” and added that the objective of the new textbooks is to strengthen constitutional literacy, institutional respect, and informed understanding of democratic participation amongst students.
A senior NCERT official said the book was pulled from sale on counter on Tuesday and council does not intend to defend in the Supreme Court the inclusion of detailed references to corruption in the judiciary.
According to the official, the council believes that discussing corruption in the judiciary in detail may not be appropriate for Class 8 students. “The judiciary commands immense trust and faith among people. We feel that this section might create a trust deficit among students, which is not desirable in the long run,” the official said.
NCERT has also initiated an internal review to examine how the section was included in the textbook. Different curriculum groups are responsible for drafting books, and multiple review teams vet the content before publication, the official added.
“A revised version of the textbook is expected to be available within a month,” he said.
The development comes after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Wednesday informed members of the Bar that the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a new section in the Class 8 Social Science textbook brought out by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) which discusses “corruption in the judiciary”, asserting that he would not permit the institution to be defamed. The CJI described the development as “deep-rooted”, adding that it appeared to be “a calculated and conscious step”.
CJI’s remarks came after senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the issue before a bench also comprising justice Joymalya Bagchi, saying the Bar was “deeply disturbed”.
