SC on NCERT Book Row: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Wednesday expressed strong displeasure over the mention of “corruption in the judiciary” in the new Class 8 social science textbook published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), saying no one would be allowed to “defame or malign” the institution. This development came after a bench led by CJI Kant raised concerns over the content of the revised textbook.
SC on NCERT Book Row: What did Sibal say in the courtroom?
Sibal said that members of the legal fraternity are “deeply disturbed” that schoolchildren are being taught about corruption in the judiciary, calling it “utterly scandalous.” The senior lawyer told the Supreme Court, “As members of this institution, we are deeply disturbed to learn that children as young as Class 8 are being taught about corruption in the judiciary. We have a significant stake in the institution. We have copies of the book.”
Supreme Court News: What happened in the courtroom?
In response, CJI Kant said that he was already aware of the controversy and had received several messages from members of the judiciary expressing concern.
CJI said, “I can assure you all that I am fully aware of this,” and added that several High Court judges were also “disturbed” by the book’s content.
When Sibal appealed to the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance, CJI Kant said he had already initiated action on the issue.
CJI said, “Wait a day. This is certainly a matter of concern for the entire institution. The Bar and the Bench are upset. Every stakeholder in the system is truly distressed. I’m receiving a lot of calls and messages.” He added, “I will not allow anyone in the world to tarnish the integrity of the institution and defame it. I will not allow it, at any cost. No matter how high-ranking the person is, the law will take its course. I know how to deal with it.”
Corruption in the Judiciary: What is the whole controversy?
This controversy stems from the recently released NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook, which includes a section on the challenges facing the judiciary under the chapter titled ‘Role of the Judiciary in Our Society.’ The revised chapter identifies issues such as “corruption at various levels of the judiciary,” massive backlogs of cases, a shortage of judges, cumbersome legal procedures, and a lack of infrastructure as factors impacting the justice delivery system.
What’s in the book? What’s causing the uproar?
The previous edition of the textbook primarily focused on the structure, independence, and functions of the judiciary, while addressing delays in case disposals through the commonly used adage, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” The updated textbook also provides estimated figures for pending cases, with approximately 81,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court, approximately 6.24 million cases in the High Courts, and approximately 47 million cases pending in the district and lower courts.
New Textbook Focuses on Judiciary and History
Elaborating on accountability mechanisms, the book states that judges adhere to a code of conduct that regulates both judicial and personal behaviour and outlines institutional procedures for grievances, including the Centralised Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), which reportedly received over 1,600 complaints between 2017 and 2021.
NCERT is implementing extensive textbook revisions in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for school education. The revised textbook, released on February 23 in accordance with the NEP 2020, revisits key historical events, including Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 and Direct Action Day of 1946, and also discusses the Partition of India in detail.
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