New Delhi, Feb 26: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed a complete and immediate ban on a Class 8 NCERT Social Science textbook, labeling a chapter on judicial corruption as a “deep-rooted conspiracy” to malign the legal system. A three-judge Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, ordered the seizure of all physical and digital copies of the book titled Exploring Society: India and Beyond.
The court’s directive requires the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), in coordination with federal and state education departments, to remove the publication from schools, retail outlets, and storage facilities. Chief Justice Kant affirmed that as the head of the institution, it is his duty to identify those responsible for the content, stating that “heads must roll.” The Bench has issued contempt of court notices to the Secretary of School Education and the Director of NCERT, seeking a detailed report on the individuals involved in drafting the controversial material.
During the proceedings, the Bench noted that the textbook appeared to ignore the judiciary’s role in preserving the democratic fabric and the basic structure doctrine. The justices asserted that the choice of words in the text did not seem to be an inadvertent error but rather a calculated move to undermine institutional authority. While the court stated it does not wish to stifle legitimate critique or rigorous discourse, it maintained that exposing students to biased narratives at a young age leads to fundamental misconceptions about the judicial branch.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that copies already in the market were being withdrawn and that the entire book would be revisited. He stated that the individuals responsible for the specific chapters would no longer be permitted to work with the NCERT or the Ministry of Education. However, the Bench maintained that such measures might allow those responsible to go “scot-free” while the judiciary continues to face the fallout of the publication.
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on March 11. The Bench declared that any attempt to circumvent the ban through electronic means or altered titles would be viewed as a direct defiance of judicial directions.
