- NCERT issued an unconditional public apology for a controversial judiciary chapter in a Class 8 textbook
- The entire social science textbook "Exploring Society: India and Beyond" Grade 8 has been withdrawn
- Supreme Court banned the book, ordered seizure of copies and removal of digital versions
Two weeks after the Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on a social science textbook with a controversial chapter on the judiciary, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) today issued an unconditional public apology.
Published in newspapers, this apology read, "The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has recently published a social science textbook 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond' Grade 8 (Part-II) which contained Chapter IV titled 'The Role of Judiciary in our Society'. The Director and Members of NCERT hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the said Chapter IV. The entire book has been withdrawn and is not available."
This comes after a chapter in NCERT's textbook for Class 8 triggered a controversy and drew strong remarks from the Supreme Court. The chapter had a section on "corruption in the judiciary". Media reports on this drew sharp remarks from Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. "I will not allow anyone on earth to taint the integrity of the institution and defame the institution. At any cost, I will not permit it. Whosoever high it may be, the law will take its course. I know how to deal with it," he said.
Switching to damage control mode, NCERT halted the distribution of the Social Science textbook and officials said they have observed that certain "inappropriate" textual material and an "error of judgement" have inadvertently crept into the concerned chapter."
The Supreme Court took suo motu action and imposed a blanket ban on the book and ordered the seizure of all physical copies and a takedown of digital versions. Stressing the need for a deeper probe, the court said that if allowed to go unchecked, such developments will erode people's faith in the judiciary. "No one will be allowed to go scot-free. It is my duty as the head of the institution to find out who is responsible; heads must roll," the Chief Justice of India said.
Earlier, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, extended an unconditional and unqualified apology on behalf of the Ministry of Education. He told the court that two individuals responsible for referring to 'corruption in the judiciary' would "never work with the UGC or any ministry". The Chief Justice, however, was unimpressed. "That is of very little consequence. They fired a gunshot, and the judiciary is bleeding today," he said.