The Supreme Court of India on Thursday heard a suo motu case over a Class 8 NCERT textbook chapter referring to corruption in the judiciary. Chief Justice Surya Kant termed it a “deep-rooted conspiracy” against the institution.
Supreme Court Slams NCERT Over Class 8 Textbook Mentioning ‘Corruption in Judiciary’
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India began hearing the case on Thursday, taking suo motu cognizance of the inclusion of a chapter on "corruption" in the judiciary in the new Class 8 Social Science textbook. The case is titled 'In Re: Social Science Textbook for Grade 8 (Part 2) published by NCERT and ancillary issues.'
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, issued strong remarks, calling the matter serious. The CJI said it appeared to be a "deep-rooted conspiracy" to defame the judiciary. He also noted that the clarification issued by NCERT lacked a clear apology. He had previously described the text as an attempt to defame the judicial institution. The bench also comprised Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi.
As the hearing began, the Solicitor General announced that the Secretary of the School Education Department was present in court and tendered an unconditional apology. In its statement, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) admitted to "inappropriate text" and an "error in judgment."
NCERT stated that the distribution of the book in question has been immediately halted. Additionally, the process of recalling 32 books from the market and removing the controversial chapter entirely has been initiated. The two individuals who authored the chapter will not be associated with any ministry in the future.
CJI may consider suo motu case on judiciary corruption highlighted in NCERT book
The Class 8 Social Science textbook included a chapter titled "The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society." It cited corruption, a massive backlog of cases, and a shortage of judges as challenges facing the judiciary. The chapter also stated that judges are bound by a code of conduct, which governs their conduct both inside and outside the courtroom.
Given the gravity of the matter, the Supreme Court has indicated that it will continue a detailed hearing. The Court clarified that the dignity and independence of the judiciary cannot be compromised. All eyes are now on the Court's next order, which will determine the final course of this dispute.
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