Centre Tells SC It Has Directed NCERT to Review Textbooks of All Classes

New Delhi, Mar 11: The Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it has directed the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to review textbooks for all classes following the controversy surrounding a Class 8 social science book.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, said it would have preferred the government to constitute an independent expert committee to examine the curriculum rather than assigning the task solely to NCERT.

The observations came during the hearing of a suo motu case related to a chapter in an NCERT Class 8 social science textbook that referred to corruption and other challenges within the judiciary.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the government has already asked NCERT to conduct a comprehensive review of textbooks across all grades, not just the Class 8 publication at the centre of the controversy. He assured the court that a panel of subject experts would be involved in examining the curriculum.

Mehta said the government has initiated systemic reforms and emphasised that future publications would undergo strict scrutiny by domain specialists before being released.

He also informed the court that the NCERT director had filed an affidavit tendering an “unconditional and unqualified apology” over the issue.

Earlier, on February 26, the Supreme Court imposed a complete ban on the publication, reprinting or digital circulation of the Class 8 social science book, stating that it contained objectionable references related to the judiciary.

During the earlier proceedings, the court had expressed serious concern over the contents, describing them as damaging to the dignity of the institution. It also directed authorities to immediately withdraw and seize all copies of the textbook already in circulation to prevent further distribution.