The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will remove a Class 8 Social Science textbook from its official portal. This action follows a Supreme Court intervention regarding controversial content about judicial corruption.
Reports indicate the textbook will be taken down after the Supreme Court took notice of a section. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant expressed strong disapproval of the content. He stated that no one is permitted to defame the judiciary or harm its integrity.
Textbook Content Under Scrutiny
The specific section reportedly referenced judicial corruption. It also discussed the significant backlog of cases within the court system. A shortage of judges was another point mentioned in the chapter.
Sources within the Education Ministry confirmed the textbook’s removal from the NCERT website. The Indian Express cited these sources for the report.
NCERT Review Process
NCERT has initiated an internal review. The council is meeting with publishers and subject matter experts. This meeting aims to assess recommendations from those who produced the chapter. Officials who approved the content are also part of the review.
NCERT Chairman Dinesh Prasad Saklani has not commented on the matter. Other officials declined to speak, citing the ongoing legal status of the issue.
Government Perspective
Government sources suggested that officials responsible for chapter approval should have exercised better judgment. NCERT operates as an autonomous body.
One official noted that if the intent was to educate students about corruption, the chapter should have guided them on filing complaints. The official added that established mechanisms exist within the Supreme Court and High Courts for addressing corruption allegations against judges.