A day before SC hearing, NCERT issues public apology over Class 8 textbook chapter on judiciary

New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Tuesday tendered an unconditional and unqualified public apology over the controversial chapter referring to corruption in the judiciary in its now-withdrawn Class 8 Social Science textbook.

Ahead of the Supreme Court hearing scheduled for Wednesday, NCERT said in a press release shared on the social media platform X that the textbook titled ‘Exploring Society: India and Beyond,’ Grade 8 (Part II), included Chapter IV, ‘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 The entire book has been withdrawn and is not available,” the statement said.

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

The development comes in the backdrop of strong observations made by the Supreme Court last month while taking suo motu cognisance of the contents of the textbook.

In an order passed on February 26, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant ordered the immediate nationwide withdrawal of the book and imposed a complete blanket ban on its publication, reprinting and digital dissemination.

The Bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, observed that references in the chapter to “corruption in the judiciary” prima facie reflected a “discernible underlying agenda to undermine the institutional authority and demean the dignity of the judiciary”.

The apex court observed that although the chapter purported to discuss the role of the judiciary, it appeared to disregard the “illustrious history associated with the Supreme Court, the High Courts, and the District Courts” and “conspicuously omits the substantive contributions made by these institutions towards the preservation of our democratic fabric”.

At the same time, the Supreme Court clarified that the proceedings were not intended to stifle legitimate criticism of institutions.

“We do not propose to initiate the suo moto proceedings to stifle any legitimate critique or to bring to task any individual or organisation exercising their right to scrutinise public institutions, including the Judiciary,” the order said, adding that dissent, deliberation and rigorous discourse remain essential to a vibrant democracy.

However, the CJI Kant-led Bench cautioned that exposing young students to a “biased narrative” at a formative stage could erode the sanctity of the judicial institution in public perception.

Observing that the wording of the chapter “may not be a simpliciter inadvertent or bona fide error,” the top court cautioned that if the publication was found to be deliberate, it could fall within the ambit of criminal contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

While noting that NCERT had halted the distribution of the book and expressed regret, the Supreme Court said the genuineness of the apology would be examined at an appropriate stage.

“The question as to whether the apology has been tendered genuinely with a view to purging the prima facie contempt, or whether it is merely a ruse to evade the consequences, particularly when substantial irreversible damage has already been done, is a matter that we will consider at an appropriate stage,” the CJI Kant-led Bench said.

It had also issued show-cause notices to the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy in the Ministry of Education and NCERT Director Professor (Dr.) Dinesh Prasad Saklani, asking them to explain why action under the Contempt of Courts Act or other penal provisions should not be initiated against them or those responsible for introducing the “offending chapter”.

The apex court also asked the NCERT Director to furnish a comprehensive list of members of the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee who approved the chapter, the names and credentials of the Textbook Development Team responsible for drafting it, and the minutes of meetings where the chapter was deliberated and finalised.

Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier expressed deep regret over the controversy and announced the immediate recall of all printed copies of the textbook.

Pradhan said the government had taken the issue seriously and directed the Central Board of Secondary Education to recall the copies without delay.

“The judiciary is a vital pillar of Indian democracy and maintaining its dignity is the government’s foremost responsibility. People have unwavering faith in the judiciary. We will not allow the reputation of any constitutional institution to be tarnished,” the Minister said.

He added that a detailed enquiry had been ordered into the matter and assured that stronger pre-publication review and editorial mechanisms would be put in place to prevent similar lapses in the future.

IANS