SC says NCERT chapter rewrite needs expert approval
The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday said it is perturbed by the stand of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) that a chapter in class 8 social science textbook, which contained controversial contents on corruption in the judiciary, has been “duly rewritten”.
The court referred to the affidavit filed by the NCERT’s director which said the revised chapter shall be incorporated in the forthcoming academic session 2026-27 and shall be used for classroom transactions in schools in accordance with the applicable curriculum and academic framework.
“We direct that if at all chapter 4 of the subject textbook has been rewritten, the same shall not be published unless it is approved by a committee comprising domain experts,” a bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, said.
The bench said it has not been apprised either through affidavit or otherwise as to who are the alleged subject experts/domain experts who have “rewritten” the chapter again and who has approved its incorporation in curriculum of academic session 2026-27.
The bench was hearing a suo motu case concerning NCERT’s class 8 social science book, which contained “offending” contents on corruption in the judiciary.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the bench that the chapter would not go into textbook unless the committee of domain experts examines not only this chapter but everything.
He said the chapter was drafted by textbook development team under the chairmanship of professor Michel Danino and consisting members Suparna Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar. “I state and submit that the above referred individuals shall not be associated with any activity of NCERT hereafter,” the NCERT affidavit said.
