NCERT issues public apology, withdraws Class 8 book after SC order

New Delhi: After the Supreme Court’s ban on a Class 8 social science textbook, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Tuesday issued a public apology over a chapter that contained a section on the judiciary. The council also announced that the entire book titled “Exploring Society: India and Beyond” (Grade 8, Part II) has been withdrawn and is no longer available.

The public apology has come a day ahead of the Supreme Court's scheduled hearing in the suo motu case regarding the chapter, in which it had, on February 26, issued show-cause notices to the NCERT Director and the Secretary of the School Education Department for contempt proceedings.

In a statement, NCERT said it had recently published the Social Science textbook 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond' for Grade 8 (Part II), which contained Chapter IV titled 'The Role of Judiciary in Our Society.'

“The Director and Members of NCERT hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the said Chapter IV. The entire book has been withdrawn and is not available,” the council said in the statement.

Earlier, on February 27, NCERT had issued an advisory asking people to return copies of the banned Class 8 Social Science textbook to its headquarters. It took the move after concerns were raised over a chapter in the book that dealt with alleged “judicial corruption”.

In the strongly-worded advisory, NCERT directed that anyone in possession of the textbook titled 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond' should immediately return it to the council’s headquarters. It also instructed that any material from the chapter titled 'The Role of Judiciary in Our Society' that had been shared on social media or other digital platforms must be removed without delay.

IANS reported that the NCERT issued the advisory after Union Ministry of Education urged the ministries of electronics and information technology, and information and broadcasting to take immediate action. The ministry requested them to stop the circulation of the textbook on digital platforms and electronic media after it was banned by the Supreme Court.

On February 26, the Supreme Court ordered a “complete blanket ban” on any further publication, reprinting, or digital circulation of the NCERT Class 8 book. The court observed that the textbook contained “offending” references regarding corruption in the judiciary.

Expressing serious concern, the court remarked that “a gunshot has been fired and the institution is bleeding.” The court also served show 

The controversy began over a chapter in the Social Science textbook that discussed challenges faced by the judicial system. According to the book, issues such as a large backlog of cases, a shortage of judges, and alleged corruption were among the problems confronting the judiciary.

(With Live Law inputs)