PM Modi Flags Concerns Over NCERT Judiciary Chapter, Seeks Accountability

PM Modi Seeks Accountability After Supreme Court Rap on NCERT Judiciary Chapter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed displeasure over the controversy surrounding an NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook that included a reference to “corruption in judiciary,” government.

The reaction came after the Supreme Court of India strongly criticised the content, calling it defamatory and an affront to the integrity of the judicial system.

PM Questions Oversight, Seeks Answers

According to top government sources, the Prime Minister sought details on who was overseeing the matter and how such content found its way into a textbook meant for Class 8 students. He reportedly questioned whether children at that level should be discussing issues like judicial corruption and called for accountability.

The development followed an unconditional apology by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which said it would retract the textbook and revise the curriculum.

Supreme Court’s Strong Observations

The controversy erupted over a chapter in Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Vol II, officially released on February 24. Within hours, the book was removed from the NCERT website and physical circulation was halted after the court took serious note of the content.

The matter was urgently mentioned before the bench by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued a stern warning, stating that “nobody on earth will be allowed to defame the judiciary and taint its integrity.”

The court described the publication as “serious misconduct” and directed that all copies containing the controversial chapter be immediately seized. It also issued a contempt notice to NCERT Chairman Dinesh Prasad Saklani and the Secretary of School Education.

“We would like to have a deeper probe. As head of the judiciary, it is my duty to ensure accountability; heads must roll,” CJI Kant observed, addressing Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for NCERT.

Mehta tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology on behalf of the Ministry of Education.

Textbook to Be Rewritten

NCERT has said it will comprehensively rewrite the curriculum of the textbook in question, as the episode intensifies scrutiny over content vetting processes within the country’s top curriculum body. The matter continues to draw sharp attention amid calls for accountability and institutional safeguards.