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NCERT Halts Class 8 Book After SC Rap Over Judiciary Chapter

The NCERT has halted distribution of a Class 8 Social Science textbook after the Supreme Court strongly noted references to "corruption in the judiciary" in a chapter. The council issued an apology, calling the inclusion an unintentional "error of judgement" and has put the book on strict hold. The chapter, which discussed corruption and case backlogs, will be rewritten in consultation with appropriate authorities. The revised textbook will be available for the 2026-27 academic session.

Key Points: NCERT Halts Class 8 Textbook After Supreme Court Criticism

  • Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance
  • NCERT apologised for "error of judgement"
  • Book distribution put on strict hold
  • Chapter on judiciary to be rewritten
  • Revised version for 2026-27 session
3 min read

Delhi: After SC rap, NCERT halts Class 8 textbook to rewrite judiciary chapter

NCERT halts Class 8 social science textbook distribution after Supreme Court takes note of content on judiciary, apologizes for "error of judgement."

"The aforesaid error is purely unintentional and NCERT regrets the inclusion of inappropriate material in the said chapter. - NCERT Statement"

By Vishu Adhana, New Delhi, February 26

After the Supreme Court took strong note of references to "corruption in the judiciary" in a Class 8 Social Science textbook, the National Council of Educational Research and Training on Wednesday said it has put the book's distribution on "strict hold" and apologised for what it termed an "error of judgement".

In a press statement issued late Wednesday evening, NCERT said that after bringing out the Social Science textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Vol II for Class 8 on February 24, "it has been observed that certain inappropriate textual material and errors of judgement have inadvertently crept into Chapter No 4, entitled 'The Role of Judiciary in our Society'."

The development comes after the Supreme Court rapped the council and took suo motu cognisance of the content, with the Chief Justice expressing concern over the manner in which the judiciary was portrayed in the chapter.

NCERT said the Department of School Education & Literacy under the Ministry of Education had also flagged the issue and directed that the distribution of the book be halted "until further orders", a direction that has been complied with.

"The National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT) holds the judiciary in 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," the statement said.

The council further clarified that there was "no intent to question or diminish the authority of any constitutional body" and reiterated that the objective of the new textbooks is to "strengthen constitutional literacy, institutional respect, and informed understanding of democratic participation amongst students."

It added that the chapter will now be re-written "with consultation of the appropriate authority, as necessary," and the revised version would be made available to Class 8 students at the commencement of the academic session 2026-27.

"NCERT, once again, regrets this error of judgement and apologises while re-iterating our resolve to continuously work for institutional sanctity and respect," the statement said.

The controversy had erupted after the newly released textbook included a section discussing corruption and case backlogs within the judiciary -- a first for an NCERT Class 8 Social Science text -- prompting sharp observations from the top court. The earlier edition had focused largely on the structure and role of courts and access to justice, without explicitly flagging corruption as a systemic concern.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Respectfully, I disagree with the SC's reaction. Students in Class 8 are not toddlers. They hear about these issues at home and in the news. A balanced chapter explaining the judiciary's crucial role *and* its real-world challenges would have been more valuable than this sudden withdrawal.
A
Arjun K
While the judiciary must be respected, NCERT's apology seems too hasty. The error was in judgement, not in fact. We all know there are issues. Better to teach children about reforms and the system's strengths in overcoming weaknesses, rather than pretending weaknesses don't exist. Jai Hind.
S
Sarah B
As a parent, I'm glad they are correcting it. Textbooks should build respect for our constitutional institutions, especially for young minds. There's a time and place for nuanced criticism, and a Class 8 textbook might not be it. Let them first understand the ideal before dissecting the flaws.
V
Vikram M
The bigger issue is NCERT's quality control. How do such "errors" creep into a national textbook? First, it's political bias accusations, now this. They need to get their act together. Our children's education is at stake.
K
Kavya N
Waiting until 2026-27 for a revised chapter? That's two academic years! What will the current batch of Class 8 students study? This last-minute chaos affects students the most. NCERT should have been more careful before printing.

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