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The NCERT class 8 social science judiciary chapter will be rewritten in consultation with the appropriate authority, and the revised version will be distributed to the students.
Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed deep regret over the NCERT class 8 social science textbook incident. (File Photo)
After the Supreme Court took notice of a Class 8 Social Science textbook that referenced “corruption in the judiciary,” the NCERT on Wednesday said that it had halted the book’s distribution and apologised for what it called an “error of judgement.” Speaking on the matter, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed deep regret over the incident, emphasising respect for the judiciary and committing to comply with the Supreme Court’s directives.
“We have the utmost respect for the judiciary. Whatever the judiciary has said, we will fully comply with it. I am deeply saddened by what has happened, and I express my regret. As soon as the matter came to my notice, I immediately instructed NCERT to withdraw the concerned books so that they do not circulate further. Necessary steps have been taken to recall them,” Pradhan said, reported IANS.
Jamshedpur, Jharkhand: On the Supreme Court taking suo motu cognisance of the NCERT Class 8 textbook chapter alleging corruption in the judiciary, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, “We have the utmost respect for the judiciary. Whatever the judiciary has said, we will fully… pic.twitter.com/276BU1y9Hi— IANS (@ians_india) February 26, 2026
The Class 8 textbook said that corruption, a massive backlog of cases, and the lack of an adequate number of judges are among the challenges faced by the judicial system.
Following this, the CJI noted, “I will not allow anyone on earth to taint the integrity of the institution and defame the institution. At any cost, I will not permit it. Howsoever high it may be, the law will take its course. I know how to deal with it.”
The National Council of Educational Research and Training explained that after releasing the Social Science textbook “Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Vol II” for Class 8 on February 24, it was observed that Chapter 4, entitled “The Role of Judiciary in our Society,” contained inappropriate material and errors of judgement.
The NCERT also expressed regret for the inclusion of the inappropriate material, stating that it was unintentional. The chapter will be rewritten in consultation with the appropriate authority, and the revised version will be available to Class 8 students at the beginning of the 2026-27 academic session.
February 26, 2026, 15:41 IST
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