The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has issued an unconditional and unqualified apology for a controversial chapter in its newly released Class 8 Social Science textbook, “Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part II),” and has subsequently withdrawn the entire book from circulation. The move follows a severe reprimand from the Supreme Court of India, which took suo motu cognisance of Chapter IV, titled “The Role of Judiciary in Our Society,” specifically a sub-section addressing “corruption in the judiciary.” Chief Justice of India Surya Kant described the inclusion of such content as a “calculated move” to demean the dignity of the judicial institution, famously remarking that “a gunshot has been fired and the institution is bleeding.” The court observed that exposing students in their formative years to a biased narrative regarding judicial corruption and case backlogs, without adequately highlighting the judiciary’s role in upholding constitutional morality, could lead to permanent misconceptions.
In its official statement released on March 10, 2026, NCERT expressed deep regret for the “inappropriate material” that had inadvertently crept into the curriculum and confirmed that all physical and digital copies have been pulled from public access. The Council has further urged individuals and organizations in possession of the textbook to return it to the NCERT headquarters and requested the immediate deletion of any related content from social media platforms. The Union Education Ministry has also stepped in, with Minister Dharmendra Pradhan promising strict accountability and action against the individuals responsible for drafting the offending sections. The Supreme Court has imposed a blanket ban on any further publication or digital dissemination of the book, warning that any attempt to bypass this order would be treated as criminal contempt. While NCERT remains committed to rewriting the chapter in consultation with appropriate legal authorities, the incident has sparked a national debate on the sensitivity required when teaching young students about the challenges faced by key constitutional pillars
