Supreme Court imposes blanket ban on NCERT textbook

Supreme Court of India on Thursday imposed a “complete blanket ban” on any further publication, reprinting or digital dissemination of an National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 8 social science textbook containing “offending” references to corruption in the judiciary, remarking that “a gunshot has been fired and the institution is bleeding.”
Observing that there appeared to be a “deep-rooted conspiracy” and a “calculated move” to undermine and demean the dignity of the judiciary, the court directed that all copies of the book– physical and digital– currently in circulation be seized immediately and removed from public access.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, issued show-cause notices to the NCERT director and the Secretary of the Department of School Education, asking them to explain why action should not be initiated against those responsible for introducing the “offending” chapter.
“As an abundant precaution, a complete blanket ban is hereby imposed on any further publication, reprinting or digital dissemination of the book titled ‘Exploring Society: India and Beyond’ (Vol II),” the bench said. It warned that any attempt to circumvent the order through electronic media or alternative titles containing the same content would be treated as wilful breach and defiance of its directions.
The textbook states that corruption, a massive backlog of cases and inadequate number of judges are among the challenges faced by the judicial system. A day earlier, the top court had said it would not allow “anyone on earth” to tarnish the judiciary’s integrity. Following the court’s strong observations, NCERT pulled the textbook from its website, apologised for “inappropriate content” and said the chapter would be rewritten in consultation with appropriate authorities.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed regret over the controversy, asserting that the government holds the judiciary in the highest regard and had no intention of disrespecting the institution. He said an inquiry would be conducted, accountability fixed and action taken against those involved. Circulation of the textbook, he added, was put on hold as soon as the issue came to light.