Supreme Court Bans Controversial NCERT Chapter, Orders Recall of Books

The Supreme Court of India has imposed a complete ban on a controversial chapter from NCERT textbooks dealing with “judicial corruption,” ordering the immediate withdrawal of all related materials from circulation. During the hearing of the case concerning the disputed chapter published by NCERT, the court directed a total halt on the printing and sale of the book. It also instructed authorities to remove all printed and digital copies of the content without delay. The court issued notices to officials of the Education Ministry, including the Secretary, and sought detailed records of meetings related to the syllabus as well as the names of the authors involved in preparing the material. The bench emphasized that strict action must be taken against those found responsible and made it clear that the matter would be thoroughly investigated and not closed prematurely. Although the Education Ministry has tendered an unconditional apology before the court, Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that the issue appeared to be a “deliberate and well-planned attempt to defame the judiciary.” The bench further noted that official communication from NCERT did not contain an apology but instead attempted to justify the inclusion of the content. The Chief Justice stressed the court’s duty to identify those responsible and ensure accountability, adding that no one involved would be spared from action. The case was taken up suo motu by the Supreme Court concerning a chapter on judicial corruption included in a Class 8 social science textbook. The matter is being heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M Pancholi.