Current Affairs Topics Archive
International Relations Economics Polity & Governance Environment & Ecology Science & Technology Internal Security Geography Social Issues Art & Culture Modern History

NCERT issues unconditional apology to Supreme Court; withdraws Class 8 textbook over controversial ‘judiciary’ chapter

March 10, 2026 5 min read Polity & Governance GS2 (Judiciary Constitutional Institutions) GS4 (Ethics Educational Institutions)
On This Page ▼

What Happened

  • NCERT issued an "unconditional and unqualified apology" to the Supreme Court for a chapter on the judiciary in its Class 8 Social Science textbook titled "Exploring Society: India and Beyond" (Grade 8, Part II)
  • The chapter titled "The Role of Judiciary in Our Society" contained material discussing alleged corruption and misconduct within the Indian judiciary, which the Supreme Court found to be "offending" content
  • The Supreme Court had on February 26, 2026, imposed a "complete blanket ban" on further publication, reprinting, or digital circulation of the book
  • NCERT confirmed the entire book has been withdrawn and is no longer available; all digital copies and social media disseminations of the chapter were ordered removed
  • The court had issued show-cause notices for contempt — the apology was tendered as part of NCERT's response to those notices

Static Topic Bridges

Contempt of Court — Constitutional and Statutory Framework

Contempt of court in India derives from Articles 129 and 215 of the Constitution, which designate the Supreme Court and High Courts respectively as "Courts of Record" — courts whose acts and proceedings are of evidentiary value and which have the inherent power to punish for contempt of themselves. The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 gives statutory shape to this power. Criminal contempt includes actions that "scandalise or tend to scandalise, or lower or tend to lower the authority of any court" — the category most relevant to the NCERT textbook controversy.

  • Article 129: Supreme Court is a Court of Record with power to punish for contempt
  • Article 215: High Courts are Courts of Record with power to punish for contempt of themselves
  • Contempt of Courts Act, 1971: Defines and classifies contempt; provides defences
  • Section 2(a): Civil contempt — willful disobedience to a court order or undertaking
  • Section 2(b): Criminal contempt — publication that scandalises the court, interferes with judicial proceedings, or obstructs administration of justice
  • Section 5 (defence): Fair and reasonable criticism of judicial acts does NOT constitute contempt
  • Punishment: Up to 6 months imprisonment or ₹2,000 fine, or both (Section 12)
  • Article 19(2): Freedom of speech can be restricted by "contempt of court" — one of the eight permissible restrictions on Article 19(1)(a)

Connection to this news: The chapter was found to cross the line from legitimate criticism (permissible under Section 5) to content that scandalises the court — triggering criminal contempt jurisdiction under Article 129 and the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

NCERT — Establishment, Mandate, and the National Curriculum Framework

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an autonomous organisation established on 1 September 1961 (formally set up under a Cabinet resolution on 27 July 1961) by the Ministry of Education (now Ministry of Education). NCERT's mandate is to advise the Central and State Governments on school education policy and to prepare model textbooks. NCERT textbooks are prescribed by CBSE for Classes I–XII. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) — most recently updated as NCF 2023 under NEP 2020 — guides NCERT's syllabus and textbook content. The Class 8 textbook "Exploring Society: India and Beyond" was part of the new NCF 2023-aligned series.

  • NCERT established: 1 September 1961 (Cabinet resolution: 27 July 1961)
  • Statutory basis: Registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860
  • Mandate: Advise Centre and states on school education; prepare model textbooks, supplementary materials
  • NCERT textbooks: Prescribed by CBSE for Classes I–XII; adopted (with modifications) by many state boards
  • NEP 2020 → NCF 2023: Mandated revised textbooks; new Class 3, 6, and 8 books introduced in 2024-25
  • The new "Exploring Society" series replaced older Social Science textbooks under NCF 2023
  • A 2017 government policy designated NCERT as the exclusive publisher of central textbooks from 2018

Connection to this news: The controversy surrounds a new NCF 2023-aligned textbook — part of the post-NEP 2020 curriculum revision. The episode raises governance questions about NCERT's internal review and approval processes before publication.

Judicial Independence — Constitutional Safeguards

Judicial independence is a foundational principle of the Indian Constitution, secured through multiple provisions. Article 121 and Article 211 prohibit Parliament and State Legislatures respectively from discussing the conduct of Supreme Court and High Court judges except on an Address to the President/Governor for removal. Judges' salaries are charged to the Consolidated Fund of India (Articles 112, 202) — not subject to parliamentary vote, insulating judiciary from executive pressure. The procedure for removal of Supreme Court judges (Article 124(4)) requires a special majority in both Houses and a parliamentary address — a very high threshold deliberately designed to protect judicial independence.

  • Article 121: Parliament cannot discuss conduct of SC or HC judges except in a removal address
  • Article 124(4): Removal of SC judge requires special majority (two-thirds of members present and voting + majority of total membership) in both Houses + Presidential address
  • Articles 125/221: SC/HC judges' salaries charged to Consolidated Fund — not voted by Parliament
  • Collegium System: SC judges appointed via collegium (CJI + 4 senior-most judges) — executive role limited; basis: S.P. Gupta v. Union of India (1981) and Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Assn. v. Union of India (1993, the "Second Judges Case")
  • Article 50: DPSP directing separation of judiciary from executive

Connection to this news: The textbook's portrayal of judicial corruption — however factually grounded individual claims may be — was seen by the Supreme Court as threatening the institutional perception of judicial independence, triggering its contempt jurisdiction as a constitutional guardian of its own authority under Article 129.

Key Facts & Data

  • Textbook: "Exploring Society: India and Beyond" — Grade 8, Part II (NCERT)
  • Controversial chapter: "The Role of Judiciary in Our Society"
  • Supreme Court ban: February 26, 2026 — "complete blanket ban" on publication, reprinting, digital circulation
  • NCERT apology: Unconditional and unqualified; tendered March 10, 2026
  • Status: Entire book withdrawn from circulation; digital copies ordered removed
  • Constitutional basis for contempt: Article 129 (SC as Court of Record)
  • Statutory basis: Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 — Section 2(b) criminal contempt
  • Punishment ceiling: 6 months imprisonment or ₹2,000 fine (Section 12, Contempt of Courts Act)
  • NCERT established: 1 September 1961
  • NCERT's legal form: Society under Societies Registration Act, 1860
  • Judicial removal threshold: Special majority in both Houses + Presidential address (Article 124(4))