NCERT Revises Class 8 Social Science Textbook After Supreme Court Intervention, Drops Controversial Sections on Judiciary
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released a revised version of its Class 8 Social Science textbook, removing sections that had drawn controversy and judicial scrutiny earlier this year. The updated textbook, which replaces the previous edition withdrawn in February, drops references to judicial backlog, corruption in the judiciary, and specific court verdicts.
The revised chapter, titled 'The Role of the Judiciary in Society', now includes new material on public interest litigation (PIL), tribunals, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The opening 'Big Questions' section has been changed from asking why an independent judiciary is necessary to asking why justice is important for a 'just and harmonious society'.
Gone entirely is the section on 'Challenges Faced by the Judicial System', which had detailed a 'massive backlog' of cases attributed to a shortage of judges, cumbersome procedures, and weak infrastructure. Also removed is the section titled 'Corruption in the Judiciary', which had cited former Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai as acknowledging instances of 'corruption and misconduct' within the judicial system.
The earlier version had sparked a controversy, leading to the Supreme Court's intervention. In February, the top court imposed a 'complete blanket ban' on the publication, reprinting, or digital dissemination of the textbook, stating it contained 'offending' content. NCERT subsequently issued an apology and withdrew the book.
The revised textbook's acknowledgements state that it has been published 'in compliance with the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India' in a suo motu writ petition. It further notes that Chapter 4 was 'rewritten' by an expert committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Education following the court's order dated March 16.
The withdrawn textbook listed 51 members as part of its development team. The revised edition lists 48, dropping the names of Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar, and Alok Prasanna Kumar, the three individuals initially held responsible for the controversial chapter.
