TIRUCHY: The Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU) has chosen not to take disciplinary action against a final year student who declined to remove a blog post criticising a recent Supreme Court decision banning a Class 8 NCERT Civics textbook and blacklisting its authors.
The controversy stems from a ruling delivered last month by a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, which ordered the prohibition of the textbook after it included a chapter referring to alleged judicial corruption. The bench described the content as part of a “well-planned conspiracy” to undermine the judiciary’s credibility.
The student, A Rishi Kumar, published his views on Substack on March 14, arguing that the court’s decision underestimated students’ ability to critically engage with Civics material. He noted that while the chapter largely praised the judiciary, it also acknowledged certain shortcomings, which he believed was essential for balanced learning.
Kumar further objected to the blacklisting of authors Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar, calling the move disproportionate. The blog quickly gained widespread attention, prompting complaints from individuals across different states who identified themselves as members of the legal community.
Following the backlash, the university registrar, SM Balakrishnan, had urged Kumar via email on March 20 to remove the post, citing concerns over the institution’s reputation. Despite the request, Kumar chose to keep the blog online.
Clarifying the institution’s position, Balakrishnan later stated that no disciplinary measures would be pursued. He emphasised that the student had expressed his views in a personal capacity without referencing the university. “Constructive criticism is not wrong. The Supreme Court is not beyond question, and we do not wish to harm the student’s future,” he said.
Kumar, speaking after the incident, said he expected some criticism but was surprised by the scale of the response. The blog gained further traction after being shared by advocate Prashant Bhushan. The student has since resumed his regular academic activities.