The National Council of Educational Research and Training has issued a public apology and withdrawn a Class 8 social science textbook after concerns were raised about a chapter that discussed corruption and case backlogs in the judiciary. The decision was announced following observations made by the Supreme Court regarding the content of the chapter.
In a public statement, NCERT said that it had recently published a social science textbook titled Exploring Society India and Beyond Part Two for Grade 8 students. The book contained a chapter titled The Role of Judiciary in Our Society. According to the statement, the organisation has decided to withdraw the entire book from circulation and expressed regret over the content included in the chapter.
NCERT officials said that the Director and members of the organisation have offered an unconditional and unqualified apology in connection with the chapter. The council also confirmed that the book has been removed from distribution and is no longer available.
The development came after the Supreme Court took note of the content in the chapter during proceedings related to educational material. The court expressed concern over the way certain issues relating to the judiciary were presented in the textbook. Following these observations, NCERT reviewed the matter and decided to withdraw the publication.
Educational institutions across India rely on NCERT textbooks for school education, particularly in subjects such as social science, mathematics, science and languages. The council is responsible for developing and publishing curriculum based learning material for schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education and several state boards.
The role of NCERT includes ensuring that educational content is accurate balanced and suitable for students at different levels of learning. Textbooks produced by the council are widely used by teachers and students and are considered an important part of the national education framework.
The withdrawal of the book has drawn attention to the process through which educational materials are reviewed and approved before publication. Experts in the field of education note that textbooks often undergo multiple stages of academic review and editorial checks before being released for use in classrooms.
However, when concerns are raised about specific content, authorities may revise or withdraw the material to address the issue. In this case, NCERT chose to withdraw the entire book and issue a public apology rather than making partial changes to the chapter.
The council has not yet announced when a revised version of the textbook may be released. Officials are expected to review the material and ensure that any future editions meet educational standards and address the concerns raised.
Education experts say that discussions related to the functioning of institutions such as the judiciary must be presented carefully in school textbooks to maintain accuracy and balance while helping students understand the structure of governance in the country.
The development highlights the importance of maintaining responsible educational content in school curriculum and the role of institutions in responding to feedback from legal and academic authorities.
