NCERT Apologises for Controversial Class 8 Judiciary Chapter, Withdraws Textbook
Education body issues unconditional apology after court objects to content on alleged judicial corruption.
New Delhi- The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Tuesday issued an “unconditional and unqualified apology” over a controversial chapter on the judiciary that appeared in a now-withdrawn Class 8 textbook.
The apology comes a day before the court is scheduled to hear a suo motu case regarding the textbook. Earlier, on February 26, the court ordered the immediate seizure of all physical copies of the book and the removal of its digital versions. The matter has been listed for hearing on March 11.
In its statement, NCERT confirmed that the entire book has been withdrawn and is no longer available.
“The director and members of NCERT hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the said Chapter 4,” the organisation said.
In a post on the social media platform X, NCERT said it regretted the inconvenience caused and thanked stakeholders for their understanding. The council also reiterated its commitment to maintaining high standards of accuracy, sensitivity and responsibility in educational content.
The controversy began after NCERT released Part 2 of a Class 8 textbook titled Exploring Society: India and Beyond on February 23. The book included a section discussing “judicial corruption”. However, the publication was withdrawn the next day, February 24, after only 32 copies had reportedly been sold.
The court took suo motu cognisance of the issue on February 25 following media reports. On the same day, NCERT apologised for what it described as “inappropriate content” in the chapter titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society” and said it would be revised in consultation with relevant authorities.
A day later, the court issued show-cause notices to the NCERT director and the secretary of the school education department, asking why criminal contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them.
The court stated that it was “shocked” after reading media reports about the February 2026 publication. It observed that while the chapter discussed the role of the judiciary, it focused heavily on complaints against judges and alleged inaction, without adequately highlighting the judiciary’s role in upholding constitutional values, the basic structure doctrine, legal aid and access to justice.
According to the court’s preliminary observations, the content of the chapter — along with the administrative response defending it — appeared to indicate “a calculated move to undermine the institutional authority and demean the dignity of the judiciary”.
However, the court clarified that the proceedings were not intended to suppress legitimate criticism of institutions. It added that exposing students at a formative age to what it described as a “biased narrative” could create long-term misconceptions about the judicial system.
The court also noted that such content could have serious consequences for the independence and autonomy of the judiciary. It said the matter could fall under criminal contempt if it was found to scandalise the institution or interfere with the administration of justice.
The court directed NCERT, in coordination with the Union and state education departments, to ensure that all physical and digital copies of the textbook are removed from public access immediately. It also banned the production and distribution of the book, warning that any attempt to circulate it would amount to a wilful violation of its order.
