The Supreme Court has formally concluded the review of a case initiated suo moto concerning a controversial chapter in the NCERT 8th-grade social studies textbook that addressed the judicial system and 'corruption in the judicial system.'
The central government and Attorney General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the disputed section had been completely removed and a new, corrected section published.
In February 2026, the fourth chapter of the new NCERT 8th-grade social studies textbook, titled 'The Role of the Judicial System in Our Society,' caused widespread controversy. This chapter contained mentions of prolonged legal proceedings and allegations of corruption within the judicial system.
The bench, chaired by Chief Justice Suryakant, took up this matter under self-monitoring in February 2026. The court ruled that presenting biased views on the institution to children of that age was inappropriate. Consequently, the court issued an order banning the distribution of printed and electronic versions of the books nationwide and ordered their confiscation.
The Supreme Court noted the central government's statement that the disputed fragment had been excluded and the revised new chapter included and published in the books. The court clarified the easing of the situation for authors, noting that it had previously taken a strict stance towards educators and authors such as Professor Michael Danino and Suparna Divakar.
Referencing its May 22 ruling, the court specified that claims that the authors had not submitted drafts were made by the Attorney General, not a finding of the court. The court also excluded any references to direct accusations of malicious intent against the authors from the record.
Furthermore, NCERT offered an unconditional apology for the error and recalled the controversial books. After these changes were made and the new book came into effect, the Supreme Court bench closed the file on the main self-monitoring case.
