Supreme Court orders action on NCERT textbook authors, new expert panel
The Supreme Court has taken strong exception to a Class 8 NCERT textbook chapter on 'Corruption in Judiciary', directing action against the authors and ordering the formation of an expert committee to review legal studies curriculum. The court expressed dismay over the chapter's content and the NCERT's handling of its revision, emphasizing the need to protect the judiciary's integrity.
Key Highlights
- Supreme Court questions NCERT over rewritten Class 8 chapter.
- Authors of the controversial chapter to be dissociated from future textbook work.
- Centre to form an expert committee for curriculum finalization.
- Court stresses no objection to legitimate criticism of the judiciary.
- NCERT directed to recall and delete existing copies of the book.
The Supreme Court of India has issued strong directives concerning the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 8 Social Science textbook, specifically targeting a chapter that discussed 'Corruption in the Judiciary'. The court, in a suo motu case, expressed significant displeasure with the content and the manner in which NCERT handled its revision. The apex court has ordered the dissociation of the three primary authors of the controversial chapter from any future textbook development work, stating that they should not be assigned any responsibility that incurs public funds. These authors are Professor Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar, and Alok Prasanna Kumar. The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, emphasized that there was no reason to doubt that these individuals either lacked sufficient knowledge about the Indian judiciary or deliberately misrepresented facts to create a negative impression of the institution among young students. The court further directed the Central government to constitute a committee of domain experts, preferably including a former senior judge, an eminent academician, and a renowned legal practitioner, to finalize the curriculum related to legal studies for NCERT textbooks. This committee will be responsible for approving any revised content before it can be incorporated into the curriculum. The court also took strong exception to the NCERT's affidavit stating that the chapter had been 'duly rewritten,' questioning who had undertaken this revision and whether it had received appropriate expert approval. The court clarified that even if rewritten, the chapter would not be published without the approval of this newly constituted expert committee. The Supreme Court also expressed serious concern over 'irresponsible' remarks made by certain individuals on social media following the court's previous orders in this matter. It directed the government to identify such 'mischief mongers' and take strict action, stating that law would take its own course against them and that they would not be spared even if they were hiding outside the country. The court reiterated that its orders were not intended to stifle healthy and legitimate criticism of the judiciary. It acknowledged that if deficiencies exist, an expert committee highlighting them would be a welcome step. Earlier, on February 26, the Supreme Court had imposed a complete ban on the publication and digital dissemination of the controversial textbook. NCERT had subsequently issued an unconditional apology and withdrawn the book from circulation, requesting the return of all copies and deletion of any related online content. The government informed the court that it had directed NCERT to review textbooks across all classes and that systemic changes were being initiated to ensure that nothing is published without being vetted by domain experts. The court, however, expressed a preference for the Centre to constitute an expert committee directly for the review, rather than solely relying on NCERT. The overarching concern of the Supreme Court was to protect the dignity and integrity of the judiciary from being undermined, especially among impressionable young minds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the controversy surrounding the NCERT textbook?
The controversy involved a Class 8 Social Science textbook by NCERT that contained a chapter discussing 'Corruption in the Judiciary', which the Supreme Court deemed to be undermining the integrity of the judicial institution.
What action has the Supreme Court taken?
The Supreme Court has ordered the dissociation of the chapter's authors from future textbook work, directed the formation of an expert committee to finalize legal studies curriculum, and instructed the government to identify and take action against individuals making irresponsible social media comments.
Who are the authors of the controversial chapter?
The authors identified are Professor Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar, and Alok Prasanna Kumar.
What is the role of the newly formed expert committee?
The committee, to be constituted by the Central government, will be responsible for finalizing the curriculum related to legal studies in NCERT textbooks and approving any revised content before its inclusion.