'Corruption in judiciary'? NCERT in tight spot after SC begins suo moto proceedings over class 8 textbook. Here’s why
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Corruption in judiciary'? NCERT in tight spot after SC begins suo moto proceedings over class 8 textbook. Here’s why")
Image for representation Photograph: (NCERT)
The Supreme Court initiated suo moto proceedings over an NCERT Class 8 textbook section on judicial corruption, prompting NCERT to halt distribution and call the content an unintentional error.
The Indian Supreme Court on Wednesday (Feb 25) began suo moto proceedings over the inclusion of a section on "corruption in the judiciary" within the new NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) class 8 Social Science textbook. The Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, said that the institution will not be allowed to be defamed. "I'm fully aware of it. We will wait for a day. This definitely concerns the entire institution. Both bar and bench," he said.
"I am getting a lot of calls, lots of messages. I'm taking suo moto cognisance of the issue. I will not let anybody, no matter how high up they are, defame the institution," the Chief Justice said, ANI reported.
Moreover, the senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek M Singhvi mentioned the issue before the CJI-led bench, saying that children are being taught the subject of corruption in the judiciary as if it doesn't exist anywhere else in any other institution. "They have left out bureaucracy, politics, etc. Not a word on other sectors. They are teaching as if it only exists in this institution", the lawyers said.
What did NCERT say?
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The council, in response to the judiciary's actio, said that the content in the textbook was the result of an "error". In a statement issued, the NCERT said, "As per the extant procedure, NCERT brought out the Social Science textbook, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Vol II, for Class 8 on 24-02-2026. On receiving the textbook, it has been observed that certain inappropriate textual material and errors of judgment have inadvertently crept into Chapter No 4, entitled “The Role of Judiciary in our Society” (page 125-142). 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. The NCERT holds the judiciary in the 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."
