SC to hear suo motu case on 'objectionable' references to judiciary in NCERT textbook today

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Thursday a suo motu case concerning what it described as “objectionable” references to the judiciary in a Class 8 social science textbook published by NCERT.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi will take up the matter titled ‘In Re: Social Science Textbook For Grade-8 (part-2) Published by NCERT and Ancillary Issues’.

The development assumes significance as the Chief Justice on Wednesday expressed strong displeasure over a chapter dealing with judicial corruption in the NCERT Class 8 curriculum. The CJI observed that no one would be permitted to defame the judiciary or cast aspersions on its integrity.

Following the apex court’s sharp observations, NCERT removed the Class 8 textbook from its official website. Sources indicated that the government was not pleased with the inclusion of the contentious topic in the publication.