The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Tuesday issued an unconditional and unqualified public apology for a controversial chapter on corruption in the judiciary that appeared in its now-withdrawn Class 8 Social Science textbook — a day before a scheduled Supreme Court hearing on the matter.
In a statement shared on X, NCERT said the Director and members of the council "hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology" for Chapter IV — 'The Role of Judiciary in Our Society' — from the textbook titled 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond', Grade 8 (Part II). The council confirmed that the entire book has been withdrawn and is no longer available.
"We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate the understanding of all stakeholders. NCERT remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, sensitivity, and responsibility in educational content," the statement added.
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The apology comes after the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the textbook's contents last month. In an order dated February 26, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant — along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi — ordered the immediate nationwide withdrawal of the book and imposed a blanket ban on its publication, reprinting, and digital dissemination.
The bench observed that references to "corruption in the judiciary" in the chapter prima facie reflected a "discernible underlying agenda to undermine the institutional authority and demean the dignity of the judiciary."
The court also noted that while the chapter purported to discuss the role of the judiciary, it conspicuously omitted the contributions made by the Supreme Court, High Courts, and District Courts to India's democratic fabric.
The Supreme Court's observations went beyond disapproval. The bench cautioned that the wording of the chapter "may not be a simpliciter inadvertent or bona fide error," and warned that if the publication was found to be deliberate, it could fall within the ambit of criminal contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
Show-cause notices were issued to the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy and NCERT Director Professor Dinesh Prasad Saklani, asking them to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated.
The court also asked NCERT to furnish a comprehensive list of the committee members who approved the chapter, the textbook development team responsible for drafting it, and minutes of the meetings where the chapter was finalised.
While acknowledging that NCERT had halted distribution and expressed regret earlier, the Supreme Court made clear that the sincerity of Tuesday's apology would be scrutinised.
"The question as to whether the apology has been tendered genuinely with a view to purging the prima facie contempt, or whether it is merely a ruse to evade the consequences, is a matter that we will consider at an appropriate stage," the CJI Kant-led bench said.
The court was also careful to clarify that the proceedings were not intended to suppress legitimate criticism of institutions, noting that "dissent, deliberation and rigorous discourse remain essential to a vibrant democracy." Its concern, it said, was the exposure of young students to a biased narrative at a formative stage.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier expressed deep regret and directed the Central Board of Secondary Education to recall all printed copies without delay.
"The judiciary is a vital pillar of Indian democracy, and maintaining its dignity is the government's foremost responsibility," Pradhan said, adding that a detailed inquiry had been ordered and stronger pre-publication review and editorial mechanisms would be put in place to prevent similar lapses in the future.