Chief Justice of India Surya Kant strongly reprimanded the NCERT for the second consecutive day, expressing serious concern over the language used in the chapter. “There appears to be a deep-rooted, well-planned conspiracy to defame the judiciary,” the CJI observed during the hearing. He further added, “It is my duty to find out who is responsible; heads must roll.”
The controversy centres around a chapter titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society”, which outlines India’s judicial system and includes references to corruption, a heavy backlog of cases, and an inadequate number of judges. The Supreme Court took objection to the manner in which these issues were presented in the textbook meant for middle school students.
The bench also noted that NCERT’s communication lacked remorse. “There is not a single word of apology in NCERT’s communication. Instead, they have sought to justify it,” the court remarked, calling for a deeper probe into the matter.
Amid the escalating row, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology on behalf of the Education Ministry.
Following the Supreme Court’s strong observations, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) moved swiftly to withdraw the revised textbook. Sources confirmed that of the 2.25 lakh copies printed, 38 had already been sold, and efforts were initiated to retrieve them.
In a late-night statement, NCERT announced that the distribution of the newly released textbook had been put on hold after identifying “inappropriate textual material and an error of judgment” in the chapter concerning the judiciary. The issue, it said, was flagged both internally and by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Education Ministry.
The development marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over how constitutional institutions are portrayed in school curricula, with the Supreme Court making it clear that accountability will be pursued in the matter.
