New Delhi, September 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday closed suo motu proceedings concerning references to “corruption in the judiciary” in an NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook after being informed that the controversial chapter had been replaced following recommendations of an expert panel constituted by the Centre.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana passed the order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that textbooks containing the revised chapter were already in circulation.
Taking note of the development, the Bench closed the suo motu proceedings and all consequential action in the matter.
The controversy centred on Chapter IV, titled “The Role of Judiciary in Our Society”, in NCERT’s Class 8 Social Science textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond. The chapter contained references to “corruption in the judiciary”, prompting the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter.
On February 26, the court had ordered the immediate nationwide withdrawal of the textbook and imposed a blanket ban on its publication, reprinting and digital dissemination.
The CJI-led Bench had then observed that the references prima facie reflected a “discernible underlying agenda to undermine the institutional authority and demean the dignity of the judiciary”. It had also cautioned that exposing students to what it described as a “biased narrative” at a formative stage could affect public perception of the judicial institution.
However, the court had clarified that its intervention was not intended to suppress legitimate criticism of the judiciary, noting that dissent, deliberation and rigorous discourse were essential to a vibrant democracy.
The Supreme Court had also issued show-cause notices to the Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, and NCERT Director Professor Dinesh Prasad Saklani. It sought explanations on why action under the Contempt of Courts Act or other penal provisions should not be initiated against those responsible for the chapter.
The court further directed the NCERT Director to provide details of the members of the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee who approved the chapter, the textbook development team that drafted it and the minutes of meetings in which the chapter was discussed and finalised.
During the proceedings, NCERT tendered an “unconditional and unqualified” public apology and said the entire book had been withdrawn. It assured the court that the disputed material would be revised and reiterated its commitment to accuracy, sensitivity and responsibility in educational content.
The Centre subsequently constituted an expert panel to review the textbook and recommend revisions. With the revised chapter now replacing the earlier version and updated textbooks in circulation, the Supreme Court brought the proceedings to an end.
The apex court had earlier also recalled its direction restricting three academics involved in preparing the chapter from participating in academic projects of Central or state universities and public educational institutions.
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