Supreme Court Orders Ban on NCERT Textbook Citing Judicial Corruption

The Supreme Court has ordered a complete ban on an NCERT Class 8 social science textbook that included a chapter on corruption within the judiciary. The court has directed the seizure of all physical copies and the removal of digital versions of the book.

Details of the Controversy

The chapter in question, titled 'The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,' is part of the new Social Science textbook for Class 8. It mentions corruption, a significant backlog of cases, and an insufficient number of judges as challenges facing the judicial system.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed strong disapproval of the textbook's content, calling it a “deep-rooted and well-planned conspiracy to defame the judiciary”.

NCERT's Response

Following the Supreme Court's criticism, the NCERT has moved to withdraw the textbook. They have also halted the distribution of the book after identifying “inappropriate textual material and an error of judgment” in the chapter on the judiciary.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta offered an unconditional apology on behalf of the Education Ministry. However, the Supreme Court noted the initial NCERT communication lacked a clear apology and instead attempted to justify the content.

Supreme Court Actions

The Supreme Court has issued show-cause notices to the NCERT Director and the Secretary of School Education, seeking explanations as to why action should not be taken against them. The court is considering potential action under the Contempt of Courts Act.

The court has instructed that no instruction should be imparted to students based on the book and has directed the NCERT, in coordination with Union and State Education Departments, to ensure all copies are seized.

Aftermath

NCERT is attempting to retrieve the 38 copies that were sold out of the 2.25 lakh printed. The Supreme Court has warned of serious action if the ban is defied in any form.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court has banned an NCERT Class 8 textbook due to a chapter on judicial corruption. The court has ordered the seizure of all copies, and show-cause notices have been issued to NCERT officials.