NCERT Withdraws Class 8 Textbook After Supreme Court Slams Judiciary Content

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has withdrawn its newly released Class 8 Social Science textbook after the Supreme Court of India raised strong objections to certain references related to the judiciary.

The book titled “Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part II)” has been pulled back completely following the court’s intervention. The move came after the apex court took suo motu cognisance of the matter and described the content as a potential attempt to undermine the dignity of the judicial institution.

NCERT Issues Unconditional Apology

In a press statement issued on March 10, 2026, NCERT said it was withdrawing the book and issued an unconditional and unqualified apology.

The council acknowledged that inappropriate content and errors in judgment had been included in the textbook.

NCERT said it holds the judiciary in the highest respect and recognises it as a key pillar responsible for upholding the Indian Constitution and protecting fundamental rights.

According to the council, the inclusion of the controversial material was unintentional.

Chapter on Judiciary Triggered the Controversy

The controversy revolved around Chapter IV titled “The Role of Judiciary in our Society.”

The chapter aimed to explain how the judicial system functions but also mentioned several challenges faced by the institution.

Among the issues highlighted were:

• Allegations of corruption at different levels
• Large backlog of court cases
• Shortage of judges in courts

The text also referred to a grievance monitoring system that reportedly received over 1,600 complaints related to the judiciary between 2017 and 2021.

Supreme Court Expresses Strong Displeasure

The matter was taken up by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, which expressed serious concern over the content being taught to young students.

The court observed that such descriptions could create lasting misconceptions among children aged between 13 and 14 years.

During the hearing, the bench remarked that the judiciary was “bleeding from what appears to be a deep-rooted attack.”

Ban on Publication and Digital Circulation

Following the hearing, the Supreme Court directed that the current version of the textbook should not be published, distributed or circulated in any form, including digital platforms.

The court imposed a blanket ban on the book until necessary corrections are made.

Government Assures Action

During the proceedings, Tushar Mehta, appearing as Solicitor General, informed the court that those responsible for drafting the controversial chapter would no longer be associated with the Ministry of Education.

The development has sparked a wider debate on how institutions and governance structures should be discussed in school textbooks while ensuring balanced academic content without undermining constitutional bodies.