The Supreme Court of India on 26 February imposed a complete blanket ban on the newly released NCERT Class 8 social science textbook, which had a chapter on “corruption in the judiciary.” The court ordered the seizure of all copies and asked why action should not be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of the chapter.
After a report first appeared in The Indian Express, the matter was raised in the Supreme Court by senior advocates A M Singhvi and Kapil Sibal.
Taking suo motu cognizance of the chapter titled ‘The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,’ a three-judge bench led by chief justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant ordered the immediate seizure of all physical copies and the removal of digital versions from public access.
The chapter included a section on “corruption in the judiciary” along with discussions on a massive backlog of cases. The chapter also quoted former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, who in July 2025 said instances of corruption and misconduct within the judiciary had adversely affected public confidence, the New Indian Express reported.
The bench described the content as a “deep-rooted conspiracy” to defame and demean the dignity of the judicial institution. The CJI stated that the court would not allow its integrity to be tainted by what it called “reckless” and “contemptuous” material.
The court issued show-cause notices under the Contempt of Courts Act to the director of NCERT and the secretary of the department of school education.
Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed regret and ordered the ministry to fully comply with the court’s directive, promising action against those responsible for what he said was an “unpardonable mistake.” Solicitor general Tushar Mehta also tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology on behalf of the ministry.
Prime minister Narendra Modi also expressed displeasure over the chapter, saying accountability should be fixed.
The NCERT has since issued an unconditional apology, stating that the inclusion of the material was an “error in judgment” and that the book will be rewritten before the 2026-27 academic session.
The NCERT recalled most copies from book-sellers and distributors and managed to retrieve 31 of 38 copies from buyers, media reports said. NCERT secretary Himanshu Gupta had requested those who purchased the book to return it immediately.
