‘Book Withdrawn’: Days After SC Rap, NCERT Apologises Over Chapter On Corruption In Judiciary

New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Tuesday issued a public apology and withdrew the Class 8 social science textbook that triggered a controversy over a chapter on the judiciary.

In a press release shared on X, NCERT said the book titled “Exploring Society: India and Beyond,” Grade 8 (Part-II) has been completely withdrawn from circulation following objections to Chapter IV, which dealt with “The Role of Judiciary in our Society”.

“The Director and Members of NCERT hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the said Chapter IV,” the NCERT said in its statement.

It added that the entire textbook has been pulled back and is currently not available.

“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate the understanding of all stakeholders,” NCERT said, reiterating that it remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of “accuracy, sensitivity and responsibility in educational content”.

The development comes amid scrutiny over the content of the chapter “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society”, which highlighted pending cases in courts due to a shortage of judges and inadequate infrastructure. The NCERT had recently called it an error and decided to rewrite the chapter of the book in consultation with the appropriate authority.

In a statement on X, the NCERT had said, “It has been observed that certain inappropriate textual material and error of judgement have inadvertently crept into Chapter No. 4, entitled 'The Role of Judiciary in Our Society' (pp. 125-142)."

The statement added, "NCERT reiterates that the objective of the new textbooks is to strengthen constitutional literacy, institutional respect, and informed understanding of democratic participation amongst students. There is no intent to question or diminish the authority of any constitutional body."

Move After Supreme Court Crackdown

On February 26, the Supreme Court had banned the production and distribution of the Class 8 textbook, taking suo motu cognisance of the controversial chapter that referenced judicial corruption allegations and case backlogs.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi had also issued a show-cause notice to the Secretary of School Education, Ministry of Education, and the NCERT Director, as to why action under the Contempt of Courts Act or any other law should not be taken against them.

The chapter identified corruption as a serious concern affecting judicial credibility. It also outlined the scale of case pendency in courts and explained the reasons behind it, including shortage of judges, complex legal procedures and inadequate infrastructure.

The case was triggered after media reports flagged the contents of the textbook.

Calling the development “deeply shocking”, CJI Surya Kant had said the court was compelled to act to safeguard institutional integrity and prevent lasting damage to public confidence in the judiciary.

Reading out portions from the order, the CJI had said the chapter prominently carried a section titled “Corruption in the Judiciary”, referring to “hundreds of complaints” against judges and suggesting systemic opacity and institutional corruption.

“We are reluctant to reproduce the chapter,” the CJI said, “but it prominently refers to complaints as if no action was taken and selectively extracts words from a former CJI’s speech to suggest the judiciary itself has acknowledged corruption.”

The Bench said the narrative appeared one-sided, omitting the “illustrious history” of constitutional courts, including their role in preserving the democratic fabric and upholding the Basic Structure doctrine.

“It seems to us that there is a calculated move to undermine the institutional authority and demean the dignity of the judiciary,” the CJI said. “If allowed to go unchecked, it will erode the sanctity of judicial office in the estimation of the public at large and in the impressionable minds of youth.”

In one of the strongest remarks of the hearing, the CJI said, “They fired the gunshot. Judiciary is bleeding today.”

The court expressed serious concern that the book’s content was not confined to students alone. “It travels from teachers to students to parents, to society and the next generation,” the CJI said, warning that foundational misconceptions at a young age could distort understanding of constitutional institutions.

While clarifying that the proceedings were not meant to stifle legitimate criticism, the court said robust discourse strengthens institutions, but “biased narrative” at the school level, presented without balance, was unacceptable.

“The necessity of judicial intervention is not from a desire to suppress criticism but to uphold the integrity of education,” the CJI said.

Despite Apology, Top Court Unimpressed

Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had tendered an unconditional apology in the suo motu matter.

However, the Bench noted that the communication sent earlier to the Registrar General had defended the contents instead of introspecting.

“There is no word of apology in this,” the CJI said, referring to the initial response. “Instead of introspection, the authority was defending. This was a deep-rooted conspiracy,” he said.

The Solicitor General informed the court that 32 copies had reached the market and that distribution had been halted following a press release by the Department of School Education under the Ministry of Education. He added that the two individuals involved in drafting the chapter would never again be associated with the ministry or the University Grants Commission in any capacity.

The CJI, however, cautioned against letting individuals “go scot-free”, stressing that accountability must be fixed at the appropriate level.

‘Silence Is Egregious’: CJI Noted Broader Implications

The controversy has sparked a wider debate over how institutions, especially the judiciary, are portrayed in school curricula. While some legal experts have underlined the importance of teaching critical thinking, the court made it clear that critique must be balanced and contextual.

The Bench pointed out that the chapter appeared to focus heavily on corruption and case pendency, even referencing the phrase “justice delayed is justice denied”, but failed to highlight transformative measures undertaken by courts, including expansion of legal aid, streamlining access to justice and landmark constitutional interventions.

“The silence is egregious,” the CJI said, noting that the judiciary has itself acted firmly against corruption and misuse of office, including against high-ranking officials.

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