NCERT Tenders Unconditional Apology, Withdraws Class 8 Textbook Following Supreme Court Rebuke Over Judiciary Content

New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) issued an unconditional apology and announced the complete withdrawal of its newly released Class 8 Social Science textbook, “Exploring Society: India and Beyond” (Part II). The move comes after the Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognisance of controversial content regarding the judiciary, describing it as a 'calculated move' to undermine the institution's dignity.

In a press release dated March 10, 2026, the NCERT Director and members tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology, admitting that inappropriate textual material and errors of judgment had inadvertently crept into the volume. The NCERT stated it holds the judiciary in the highest esteem and considers it to be the upholder of the Indian Constitution and protector of Fundamental Rights, clarifying that the error was purely unintentional.

The controversy centres on Chapter IV, titled "The Role of Judiciary in our Society." While intended to educate students on the legal system, the chapter included sections highlighting challenges such as corruption at various levels, massive case backlogs and a shortage of judges.

It also referenced a grievance monitoring system that reportedly received over 1,600 complaints against the judiciary between 2017 and 2021. The Apex Court, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, expressed strong displeasure, stating that such a narrative could 'engender permanent misconceptions' in students aged 13–14. The court remarked that the institution was bleeding from what it characterised as a deep-rooted attack.

The Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on any further publication or digital dissemination of the current version. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the individuals responsible for drafting the chapter would no longer be associated with the Ministry of Education.