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NCERT Revamps Syllabus Panel After Supreme Court Rap Over Textbook

The NCERT has reconstituted its National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee following a Supreme Court order related to a controversial chapter in a Class 8 textbook. The council issued an unconditional apology for Chapter IV, titled "The Role of Judiciary in our Society," which contained a sub-chapter on "Corruption in the judiciary," and has withdrawn the entire book. The new 20-member committee includes academics like IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti and ICHR Chairman Raghuvendra Tanwar. The panel's mandate is to develop syllabi and textbooks in line with the National Education Policy 2020.

Key Points: NCERT Revamps Panel After SC Rap on Class 8 Textbook

  • Panel reconstituted after SC order
  • Apology for 'corruption in judiciary' chapter
  • Textbook withdrawn entirely
  • Aligns with NEP 2020
2 min read

NCERT revamps syllabus panel after SC rap over Class 8 textbook

NCERT reconstitutes its curriculum committee after Supreme Court criticism over a withdrawn Class 8 textbook chapter on judiciary corruption.

"The Director and Members of NCERT hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the said Chapter IV. - NCERT"

New Delhi, April 8

The National Council of Educational Research and Training has reconstituted its curriculum committee after being rapped by the Supreme Court of India over a section on "corruption in the judiciary" in a now-withdrawn Class 8 Social Science textbook, officials said on Wednesday.

The high-powered, 20-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC) includes V Kamakoti, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras; Raghuvendra Tanwar, Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research; former Vice-Chancellor of the National Law School of India University R Venkata Rao; and Amarendra Prasad Behera, Joint Director-in-Charge, Central Institute of Educational Technology, NCERT.

The reconstitution follows the Supreme Court's March 11 order in the matter, with NCERT issuing a notification on April 2 to revamp the panel. The earlier committee had 22 members.

The NSTC was first constituted in July 2023 to develop school syllabi and textbooks in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023.

The reworked panel does not include some members of the previous committee, including Professor Michel Danino, former guest professor at IIT Gandhinagar, Bibek Debroy, former chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, and MD Srinivas of the Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai.

Earlier, the Director and Members of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) tendered an "unconditional and unqualified apology" for the chapter IV in its now-withdrawn Class 8 Social Science textbook, "Exploring Society: India and Beyond" (Part II).

In a statement issued via X, NCERT stated that the entire book has been withdrawn, making it unavailable.

"The National Council of Educational Research and Training [NCERT] has recently published a social science textbook, "Exploring Society: India and Beyond," Grade 8 (Part II), which contained Chapter IV titled "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," NCERT wrote in the post.

The council expressed regret for the inconvenience caused, reiterating its commitment to accuracy and sensitivity in educational materials.

"NCERT remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, sensitivity, and responsibility in educational content," the post said.

The apology follows concerns raised regarding the chapter's portrayal of the judiciary in the chapter IV 'The Role of Judiciary in our Society; with a sub-chapter titled "Corruption in the judiciary".

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
While respecting institutions is important, I'm a bit concerned. Are we teaching children to question and think critically, or just to accept everything as perfect? The reconstituted committee looks strong, but the removal of certain academic voices is noticeable. Hope the new syllabus maintains academic integrity.
V
Vikram M
Finally some action! Our education system needs to focus on building character and patriotism. What were they thinking putting such a chapter for 13-year-olds? The new committee with IIT and ICHR heads seems promising. Jai Hind!
A
Ananya R
As a parent, I'm relieved. We send our children to school to learn values and facts, not to be confused with controversial topics at such a young age. The apology was necessary. Let's hope the new textbooks are well-balanced and age-appropriate.
S
Siddharth J
The Supreme Court's intervention was needed. The process of syllabus formation is crucial for the future of the country. I hope the new 20-member committee, with experts from IIT and law, develops a robust curriculum under NEP 2020. The focus should be on holistic education.
K
Kavya N
It's good they acted on the SC order. But just changing the committee isn't enough. The entire textbook development process needs more checks. How did such a chapter get approved in the first place? Transparency in the panel's workings would build more trust.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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