Supreme Court Closes Suo Motu Proceedings Over NCERT Class 8 Textbook Chapter on Judiciary
Supreme Court: The Supreme Court closed suo motu proceedings against NCERT after the controversial Class 8 textbook chapter referencing "corruption in the judiciary" was fully replaced nationwide. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant clarified past remarks on drafting academics, expressed satisfaction with NCERT's corrective review protocols, and terminated all proceedings.
Supreme Court: The Supreme Court of India officially closed its suo motu proceedings regarding the controversial NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook chapter that referenced "corruption in the judiciary". A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, disposed of the matter after receiving confirmation that the offending text was completely withdrawn and replaced. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the apex court that the revised content, crafted based on recommendations from a Centre-appointed expert panel, has already been printed and incorporated into updated physical textbooks currently in active circulation.
During the final hearing, the bench also clarified that its previous observations regarding the drafting academicians were merely recordings of submissions made by the government rather than formal judicial findings against individual authors. This clarification followed applications filed by senior advocates representing the academics to ensure no unfair prejudice affects their professional standing.
The court expressed satisfaction with the corrective measures taken by the Ministry of Education and NCERT, which included instituting higher-level review protocols featuring eminent jurists to oversee future curriculum drafting related to the Indian legal system. With the complete replacement of the contentious chapter and formal apologies tendered by education officials, the bench formally terminated all contempt and suo motu writ proceedings tied to the textbook edition.
NCERT Class 8 Textbook Chapter on Judiciary
| Key Parameter | Case Details |
| Bench | Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, Justice V. Mohana |
| Subject Matter | NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook (Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Vol. 2) |
| Controversial Sub-topic | Section referencing "Corruption in the Judiciary" and judicial backlogs |
| Action Taken | Controversial chapter withdrawn and replaced nationwide |
| Final Status | Suo Motu proceedings and contempt cases officially closed |
NCERT Class 8 Textbook: Key Highlights of the Ruling
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Withdrawal and Replacement: It has been brought to the notice of the highest court of the land that the contested chapter has been fully replaced after changes recommended by the expert panel appointed by the Center, and the revised physical copies of the books are in use now.
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Academicians Clarified: The highest court has clarified its previous observations made about the expert committee and the drafting academicians in that it was only arguments put forth by the Solicitor General and not judicial observations against any author personally.
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Previous Directives Modified: The highest court has already changed its previous directive regarding disassociating from the drafting academicians.
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Siddhi Sharma is an education journalist at Jagran Josh. A Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from IP University, she brings sharp newsroom instincts developed during her previous stint at Zee News. At Jagran Josh, Siddhi specializes in decoding the educational updates. Her coverage is highly exam-centric, ranging from curated news blogs for competitive exams to crucial school board and university news. Combining her strong media foundations with a research-driven approach, she creates reliable, high-utility content that helps students and aspirants stay ahead of the curve. Her writing is factual, engaging, and tailored to meet the fast-paced needs of modern learners and exam aspirants.
