Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 26: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), accusing it of deliberately inserting disparaging remarks about the judiciary in a Class 8 Social Science textbook.
Responding to strong observations made by the Supreme Court of India, Ramesh described the overhaul of school textbooks over the past decade as both “disgraceful” and “dangerous.” In a post on X, he alleged that the revisions were part of an “RSS-driven exercise” marked by “mischief and malice,” and called for a thorough investigation into what he termed a systematic effort to distort educational content.
Meanwhile, the apex court took serious exception to references in the textbook that alluded to “corruption in the judiciary.” Hearing a suo motu matter titled In Re: Social Science Textbook for Grade–8 (Part-2) published by NCERT and ancillary issues, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that the controversy appeared to stem from a “calculated move” that had left the institution “bleeding.”
The Bench — also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi — issued sweeping interim directions. These included an immediate nationwide seizure of the textbook, removal of digital editions from online platforms, and a complete halt on its publication and circulation.
In its prima facie assessment, the court said the content seemed designed to weaken the judiciary’s institutional standing and diminish its dignity. It cautioned that permitting such narratives to persist unchecked could undermine public trust in the justice system.
The court further noted that while the chapter purported to explain the judiciary’s role, it failed to adequately highlight its landmark contributions — such as safeguarding constitutional morality, upholding the basic structure doctrine, and expanding access to justice through legal aid reforms.
Issuing show-cause notices, the Bench directed the secretary of the Department of School Education under the Ministry of Education and NCERT Director Dr. Dinesh Prasad Saklani to explain why proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act or other relevant laws should not be initiated against them and those involved in drafting the chapter.
Additionally, the court ordered NCERT, in coordination with Union and State education authorities, to immediately withdraw and secure all physical and digital copies of the book from schools, retailers, storage units, and online platforms. It fixed personal accountability on the NCERT director and school officials for ensuring compliance, and instructed principal secretaries of Education in all states to submit compliance reports within two weeks.