A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of a controversial chapter in a textbook. Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India, led the bench. He expressed grave concern over the content on Wednesday. Moreover, the court addressed the issue formally on Thursday.
Details of the Ban
The bench imposed a complete ban on the Class 8 social science textbook published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training. It ordered no further publication, reprinting, or digital circulation.
Additionally, authorities had to seize all physical copies from storage, retail outlets, and educational institutions. The court directed the NCERT to coordinate with Union and state education departments for compliance.
Controversial Content
The chapter discussed corruption at various levels of the judiciary and massive case backlogs. It noted around 81,000 pending cases in the Supreme Court, over 6.2 million in high courts, and nearly 47 million in district courts. However the bench described the references as “extremely contemptuous” and “reckless.”
Judicial Response
Surya Kant stated, “We will not allow anyone to defame the institution.” He called the inclusion a “calculated move” and a “deep-rooted conspiracy” to malign the judiciary.
As a result, the court issued show-cause notices to the Secretary of School Education in the Ministry of Education and the NCERT Director. These notices questioned why contempt action should not proceed against them.
NCERT’s Apology
The NCERT apologized for the chapter and withdrew the book from distribution. Moreover court proceeded with the ban. It warned that any circulation would amount to contempt.
Impact on Education
The ruling halted teaching from the textbook titled “Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Vol II.” Education officials assured action against those responsible. The decision sparked discussions on academic freedom, but the court prioritized institutional integrity.
