New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at safeguarding the integrity of constitutional education, the Supreme Court of India has banned the circulation of an National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 8 textbook over a controversial chapter on the judiciary.
The apex court ordered that the book should not be distributed in its current form, observing that certain portions of the chapter were inappropriate and risked creating misconceptions among students about the functioning and independence of the judiciary. Emphasising the importance of accuracy in school education, the court noted that textbooks must present constitutional institutions in a fair, balanced, and responsible manner.
The chapter had sparked criticism for its interpretation of judicial powers and processes, with petitioners arguing that it could mislead young learners about the role of courts in a democratic system.
Directing NCERT to review and revise the content, the Supreme Court underlined that middle-school textbooks should strengthen students’ understanding of constitutional values rather than generate confusion.
NCERT is now expected to rework the chapter in line with the court’s observations. The decision has triggered wider discussions in academic and legal circles about curriculum standards and the portrayal of key democratic institutions in school education.
