New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released a revised edition of its Class 8 Social Science textbook, making significant changes to the chapter on the judiciary following directions from the Supreme Court. The updated textbook removes references to "corruption in the judiciary", judicial backlog, and certain landmark Supreme Court judgements that were part of the earlier edition.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, the revised textbook has been released a little over four months after the Supreme Court ordered the withdrawal of the earlier edition over its controversial content on the judiciary.
The chapter, titled "The Role of the Judiciary in Society," has been substantially rewritten. The revised version now focuses on the Supreme Court's constitutional role, Public Interest Litigation (PIL), tribunals, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
One notable change as per the Hindustan Times Report is in the chapter's opening "Big Questions" section. While the withdrawn textbook asked students why an independent judiciary is necessary, the revised edition instead asks why justice is important for creating a "just and harmonious society".
What Has Been Removed?
The revised textbook no longer includes the following:
A section titled "Challenges Faced by the Judicial System," which previously discussed the large backlog of pending court cases and attributed it to factors such as inadequate judges, complex legal procedures, and poor infrastructure.
The controversial section "Corruption in the judiciary," which had cited former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai's remarks acknowledging instances of corruption and misconduct within the judicial system.
A discussion explaining the importance of an independent judiciary as a safeguard for citizens' fundamental rights.
Classroom discussions based on landmark Supreme Court judgments, including Shreya Singhal vs Union of India, which struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, and Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India, related to the electoral bonds scheme.
New Additions
The revised chapter includes an expanded discussion on Public Interest Litigation (PIL) under Articles 32 and 226 of the Constitution. It describes PIL as an innovation introduced by the Supreme Court and highlights cases such as the Hussainara Khatoon litigation on undertrial prisoners, the environmental cases filed by MC Mehta, and the Vishaka judgment on workplace sexual harassment.
Background
NCERT had released the second part of the Class 8 Social Science textbook on February 23, 2026. The content sparked controversy, prompting the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance on February 25. The same day, NCERT apologised for the "inappropriate content" and assured that the chapter would be rewritten. The apex court subsequently ordered the withdrawal of both physical and digital copies of the textbook.
The revised edition states that the changes were made in compliance with the Supreme Court's directions in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1/2026. It also notes that the chapter was rewritten by an expert committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Education.
Changes to Development Team
As reported by Hindustan Times report, the revised textbook lists 48 members in its development team, compared with 51 in the withdrawn edition. The names of Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar, and Alok Prasanna Kumar, who were initially held responsible for the controversial chapter, have been removed.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed governments and educational institutions to disassociate from the three experts before later modifying that order after accepting their explanation that textbook preparation was a collective exercise and there was no intention to portray the judiciary negatively.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter again on July 14, 2026.
