Supreme Court Objects To NCERT Judiciary Content
The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognisance of content in a newly introduced National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 8 Social Science textbook that refers to corruption in the judiciary, after objections were raised before the court.
CJI Surya Kant Objects To NCERT Textbook Content
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern over the textbook section discussing “corruption at various levels of the judiciary” as one of the challenges faced by courts. The matter was mentioned before the bench by senior members of the Bar, who argued that presenting such content to middle school students could affect perceptions of the judicial institution.
The CJI indicated that the court would examine the issue, stating that the judiciary’s institutional integrity must be protected. The court’s intervention follows communications received from members of the legal community objecting to the content.
NCERT Pulls Textbook For Review
Following the objections, NCERT is understood to have withdrawn the concerned textbook from circulation pending review. Education authorities are expected to reassess the disputed section and determine whether revisions are required.
The chapter in question reportedly outlines the role of the judiciary in society and lists issues such as case backlog and allegations of corruption as systemic challenges.
Debate On Curriculum And Institutional Integrity
The development has triggered wider discussion on how civic education addresses institutional challenges. While some argue that discussing systemic issues forms part of democratic awareness, others have raised concerns about the framing and age-appropriateness of such content.
The Supreme Court is expected to consider the matter further as NCERT reviews the textbook content.
