NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday promised action against those responsible for the inclusion of references to judicial corruption in an NCERT textbook, amid indications that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed strong displeasure over what he viewed as a serious lapse.
Sources said Modi raised the issue during Tuesday’s Union Cabinet meeting, questioning the mention of corruption within the judiciary in a Class VIII social science textbook. Referring to the theme on challenges in the administration of justice, the Prime Minister is learnt to have asked, “What are we teaching Class VIII children about judicial corruption?”
The controversy centres on Chapter 4 — “Role of the Judiciary in Our Society” — in the new Class VIII social science (Part 2) textbook published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Edited by Michel Danino and Alok Prasanna, the chapter cited corruption, large case backlogs and a shortage of judges as challenges facing the judicial system.
As the row intensified, the Supreme Court of India expressed strong displeasure, observing that there appeared to be a “well-orchestrated conspiracy” to defame the judiciary. The court imposed a blanket ban on the textbook and directed that all physical and digital copies be seized.
In response, NCERT removed the e-version of the book from its website and halted distribution. Officials said 32 physical copies had been sold before circulation was stopped — a figure also mentioned in court by the Solicitor General. A senior NCERT official said the books were sold through its depots and that most had already been traced and recalled.
Pradhan issued an unconditional apology, reaffirming the government’s respect for the judiciary and stating that accountability would be fixed. He said there was no intent to undermine the judiciary’s integrity and that an inquiry would identify those responsible for drafting the contentious content. The government, he added, would fully comply with the Supreme Court’s directions.
NCERT said the chapter would be rewritten in consultation with appropriate authorities and reissued from the 2026–27 academic session. The council also indicated that stricter review mechanisms for future textbooks are under consideration.
