Supreme Court Concern Over Judiciary Reference Prompts NCERT To Remove Class 8 Textbook From Counters

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has withdrawn a newly introduced Class 8 Social Science textbook from sale after objections were raised over a chapter that discussed "corruption in the judiciary".

Officials in the Education Ministry confirmed the decision on Wednesday, a day after the book disappeared from sale counters at the NCERT campus in Delhi.

The book, Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 2, had been released only on Monday and was briefly available to the public before being pulled back.

Section on judiciary sparks controversy

The disputed portion appeared in the chapter The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society. It listed corruption, a heavy backlog of cases and shortage of judges as among the major challenges faced by the judicial system. The text also explained that judges are governed by a code of conduct regulating both courtroom behaviour and personal conduct outside court.

The chapter referred to the judiciary's internal accountability mechanisms and cited an "established procedure for receiving complaints through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)", noting that more than 1,600 complaints were received between 2017 and 2021.

Chief Justice reacts strongly

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant took strong exception to the references during court proceedings on Wednesday. He said he "will not allow anyone to defame the institution".

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned the issue in open court and urged the court to take suo motu cognisance. Sibal argued that the inclusion appeared intentional.

"It is as if there is no corruption in other organs of governance - Ministers, bureaucrats, the police, politicians," Sibal and Singhvi said.

The Chief Justice described the reference as a "tentatively calculated, deep-rooted attempt" to denigrate the judiciary and indicated that action may follow.

"Please wait for a few days. Bar and Bench are both perturbed. All the High Court judges are perturbed. I have received many calls. I will take up the matter suo motu. I will not allow anybody to defame the institution. Law will take its course. As head of the institution. I have done my duty and I have taken cognisance. This seems to be a calculated move... I will not say much," the CJI said.

Book removed from counters

Education Ministry sources said the book was withdrawn from sale on Tuesday. Staff at the NCERT publication division counter confirmed that copies available on Monday were no longer being sold the next day.

The move came immediately after objections were raised in the Supreme Court and concerns were expressed by members of the legal fraternity.

What the textbook contained

The section emphasised that the judiciary has an internal system to maintain accountability and receive complaints, while highlighting structural challenges such as case backlog and insufficient number of judges. It also explained that judges are bound by ethical standards covering both professional and personal conduct.

The controversy has now placed the new curriculum material under scrutiny, with the Supreme Court signalling that it may examine the matter further if required.