India’s Supreme Court has issued a comprehensive prohibition on a school textbook containing a chapter that referenced judicial corruption, deeming its content “extremely contemptuous” and “reckless.” The controversial material appeared in a revised social science textbook published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the primary curriculum development authority for millions of Indian students.
The judicial intervention came after Chief Justice Surya Kant expressed strong criticism of the textbook, warning that it could severely damage the judiciary’s reputation. Following the court’s rebuke, NCERT promptly withdrew the publication and issued a formal apology, acknowledging an “error in judgement” that had “inadvertently crept” into the chapter.
The contentious section, titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,” was intended for eighth standard students aged 13-14. It contained references to “corruption at various levels of the judiciary” and highlighted the massive backlog of over 53 million pending cases in Indian courts. The textbook attributed judicial delays to multiple systemic factors including insufficient judges, complex legal procedures, and inadequate infrastructure.
The court’s ruling on Thursday imposed a complete ban on any further publication, reprinting, or digital dissemination of the material. Additionally, the bench issued notices to senior education officials and NCERT’s director, demanding explanations for why they should not be held in contempt of court for including the controversial content.
The textbook had drawn sharp criticism from legal professionals who described its content as “scandalous” and disrespectful. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal expressed deep concern about teaching children that the judiciary is corrupt, while Abhishek Manu Singhvi criticized the text for being one-sided and ignoring corruption in other sectors like politics and bureaucracy.
NCERT, an autonomous body under the federal education ministry, develops syllabus and textbooks primarily for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), though its materials are widely used by state education boards and private schools across India, making their publications subject to intense public scrutiny.