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Informist, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026

 

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--SC gives show cause notice to NCERT chairman, education dept official
--CONTEXT: SC order on section on corruption in judiciary in NCERT book
--SC:Show cause as to why contempt should not be initiated vs govt officials
--SC bans NCERT book with 'corruption in judiciary' topic, orders its removal 
--SC asks names of officials who wrote in 'corruption in judiciary' section
 

 

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Thursday ordered a complete ban on the National Council of Educational Research and Training's new social science textbook for Class 8 that had a section on corruption in the judiciary and also directed its removal from all physical and digital platforms. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued show-cause notices to the secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education and the director of NCERT as to why action under the Contempt of Courts Act or any other law should not be taken against them.

 

Given the serious consequences, and an everlasting impact on the independence and autonomy of the judiciary, such misconduct would fall within the definition of criminal contempt, said the top court. If it is proved to be a deliberate move on part of officials to come out with such a topic, it would undoubtedly amount to interfering with administration of justice, besides scandalising the institution, said the apex court.

 

The top court noted that NCERT had tendered an apology through a press release. The question as to whether the apology has been tendered genuinely to purge the prima facie contempt, or was merely a ruse to wriggle out of consequences, especially when substantial damage has already been done, are questions it will consider at an appropriate stage, it said. 

 

The court asked the director of NCERT to submit names of the person who wrote the offending chapter. The specific names and credentials shall be furnished and the original minutes of meetings, wherein the offending chapter was deliberated and finalised shall be produced on the next date of hearing on Mar. 11.

 

Chief Justice Kant said that prima facie, it seemed to be a calculated move to undermine and demean the dignity of the judiciary. If allowed to go unchecked, it will erode the sanctity of judicial office, said Chief Justice Kant. The publication dedicates an entire chapter to the role of judiciary and washes off with one stroke the illustrious history of the Supreme Court, high courts and has omitted the substantial contributions made by these institutions towards preservation of democratic fabric, he said.

 

The court said it had earlier asked its registry to verify claims about the section relating to corruption in judiciary in the NCERT's social science book. Instead of introspecting what had been written in the book in the most reckless, motivated, and contemptuous manner, the director of NCERT responded in writing defending the contents of the book.

 

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, said that the two individuals who prepared the chapters will never work with the University Grants Commission of India or any ministry. The top court said that the punishment will be very easy for them in that case and they will be let scot-free. They fired the gunshot and the judiciary is bleeding today, said the top court, adding that it would like a deeper probe.

 

NCERT's social sciences book for Class 8 has a section that talks about the challenges faced by the judicial system including "corruption at various levels of the judiciary" and massive backlog on account of multiple reasons, such as lack of adequate number of judges, complicated legal procedures, and poor infrastructure.

 

The section states that judges are bound by a code of conduct that governs not only their behaviour in court, but also how they conduct themselves outside it. The section refers to the judiciary's internal mechanism to maintain accountability, and an "established procedure for receiving complaints through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)", adding that over 1,600 such complaints were received between 2017 and 2021.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Ashish Shirke

 

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