Union govt forms expert panel to revise NCERT Class 8 judiciary chapter

The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it has appointed a three-member panel to revise a controversial judiciary chapter in the NCERT Class 8 textbook, following objections over its content.

The committee comprises former Attorney General KK Venugopal, former Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra, and Justice Aniruddha Bose and has been assigned to rework the chapter to ensure it is accurate and presents a balanced view for school students.

The revision follows criticism of a passage that mentioned “corruption in the judiciary,” which sparked debate over the portrayal of the institution in the school curriculum.

The issue reached the Supreme Court after it was raised publicly, leading the court to take suo motu cognizance and seek explanations from the Centre and NCERT regarding the inclusion of the content.

In response, NCERT withdrew the chapter and stopped the sale of the textbook carrying it. The court also ordered a stay on its circulation to prevent confusion among students and parents.

At the latest hearing, the government told the court that the expert panel had been constituted. The Supreme Court then closed its suo motu proceedings after recording the submission.

The panel will now review and rewrite the chapter, with the episode drawing attention to the scrutiny of school textbooks, particularly on subjects related to key institutions like the judiciary.