‘Calculated Move To Demean Judiciary’: SC’s Sharp Attack On NCERT; Show-Cause Notice To Director - Key Points

The Supreme Court criticises NCERT over a Class 8 chapter alleging corruption and delays in the judiciary, orders seizure of contested material, and directs investigation and accountability measures while warning of criminal contempt if warranted.

The Supreme Court has sharply criticised NCERT over a Class 8 social science textbook chapter that links the judiciary with “corruption” and “backlogs”, describing the episode as a “deep-rooted, well-planned, and orchestrated conspiracy.” The court ordered seizure of all printed and digital copies carrying the contested content and issued a show-cause notice to the NCERT director seeking accountability.

Although the chapter has now been withdrawn, it was recently added to the new Class 8 syllabus and had already reached schools and bookshops. The Supreme Court treated the matter on its own, asked for immediate action from authorities, and fixed March 11 for the next hearing in the suo motu case.

Supreme Court NCERT judiciary row: strong observations and criminal contempt warning

The bench, led by CJI Surya Kant, expressed concern that such material could erode public trust. One observation warned, "If allowed to go unchecked, this will erode people's faith in judiciary." Another added, "Such misconduct, having everlasting impact on judiciary, would fall within definition of criminal contempt."

The court said the material appeared to be part of a concerted attempt to damage the institution. It remarked, "It seems there is a calculated move to undermine institution and demean dignity of judiciary." The judges stressed that portraying courts as corrupt in school books could influence generations of students and teachers.

Supreme Court NCERT judiciary chapter: conspiracy charge, show-cause notice and lack of apology

The CJI described the episode as deliberate and coordinated. "In reality, not a single section of society has been left untouched. It is a deep-rooted, well-planned, and orchestrated conspiracy." The court said it would not ignore the issue and wanted responsibility fixed at the highest level within NCERT.

Targeting NCERT’s response, the bench noted the absence of regret. "There is not a single word of apology in NCERT's communication, and instead, they have justified it." CJI Surya Kant added, "It is my duty to find out who is responsible; heads must roll," underlining that senior officials could face consequences.

The Supreme Court ordered a comprehensive investigation into how the chapter was cleared. "We would like to have deeper probe," said the Supreme Court. The court issued a show-cause notice to the NCERT director, asking for an explanation on the process that allowed such content to enter a school textbook.

The judges pointed to repeated attacks on the judiciary and linked the chapter to that climate. One remark stated, "They have fired the gun and the judiciary is bleeding today. Today, anybody can say anything. At times, there is a mounting attack on us, and we are aware of it. The material is available online, on the internet, and even in stores."

The bench also flagged how classroom teaching could spread the message further. It noted, "This is a very calculated move -- the entire teaching will be dictated. When you look at how the Indian judiciary is portrayed as corrupt, it becomes evident what message is being sent. The entire teaching community will first be instructed that this is what they have to teach."

Alongside its criticism, the Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on any further printing or circulation of the Class 8 NCERT book containing the “offending chapter” on the judiciary. The court directed the Centre and all state authorities to secure and remove physical and digital versions already in circulation without delay.

The disputed chapter, titled 'The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society’, was meant to go beyond describing court structure and basic access to justice. It discussed challenges such as corruption, heavy case pendency and a shortage of judges, shifting focus from only explaining how courts are organised to examining broader systemic concerns.

One section spoke about experiences of corruption and its effect on weaker sections. It stated, "People do experience corruption at various levels of the judiciary. For the poor and the disadvantaged, this can worsen the issue of access to justice. Hence, efforts are constantly being made at the State and Union levels to build faith and increase transparency in the judicial system, including through the use of technology, and to take swift and decisive action against instances of corruption wherever they may arise," the chapter states.

The same chapter also highlighted the burden of pending cases at different court levels, giving detailed figures on the current backlog. It pointed to the Supreme Court, high courts, and district and subordinate courts, and linked these volumes to the need for more judges and better systems.

Earlier versions of the textbook mainly described the role and structure of courts and basic rights. The revised chapter tried to discuss how corruption, delays and limited judicial strength affect access to justice, especially for poorer citizens, but its language on “corruption” triggered strong resistance from the Supreme Court and led to the present legal action.

With all copies of the Class 8 book ordered seized and a deeper investigation underway, the Supreme Court has placed strict limits on the disputed NCERT content while keeping the broader issues of judicial image, criminal contempt and textbook oversight under active scrutiny before the hearing scheduled on March 11.