New Delhi, February 26 The Supreme Court on Thursday praised the media for bringing the issue of NCERT's Class 8 social science textbook, which contained "inappropriate" content about corruption in the judiciary, to light, stating that without this, the situation could have become "completely irreversible".
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said that the media has "highlighted a serious issue," and the judiciary is "vulnerable".
During the hearing in the suo moto case, one of the lawyers told the bench that the media should not disclose the offending parts of the textbook.
"It is the responsible media that brought this matter to public attention. We are grateful to the media," said the CJI.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that mainstream media is always responsible, and it is the tabloids that create the problem.
The CJI said that as one of the pillars of democratic values, and in ensuring constitutional values, the media plays a "very vital, very constructive, and very positive role".
"Otherwise, the damage would have been completely irreversible," the CJI said.
In its order, the bench said that the framers of the Constitution were deeply aware and took great care to ensure that constitutional responsibilities were clearly defined, allowing the three pillars – the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary – to operate independently while working together to preserve the democratic fabric of the nation.
The bench said it was "shocked" when a leading English newspaper published an article on February 24 regarding the release of the social science textbook for Grade 8 (Part 2) titled 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond'.
"The inclusion of this subject matter within a foundational curriculum warrants a thorough review of its suitability and its potential impact on the standing of the judiciary," the bench said.
The bench said that the contents of the chapter made prominent references to hundreds of complaints against the judiciary, clearly indicating that "no action was taken," and quoting a former chief justice, suggesting that the judiciary itself had acknowledged a lack of transparency, accountability, and institutional corruption.
The bench said that the publication "essentially dedicates a chapter to the role of the judiciary in society, and completely ignores the illustrious history of the Supreme Court, high courts, and district courts."
"The text unfortunately fails to acknowledge the important role the judiciary plays in upholding constitutional morality and the basic structure doctrine, which are fundamental to the lives of Indian citizens," the bench said.
It added that young students are only beginning to understand the complexities of public life and the constitutional framework that supports it.
"It is inappropriate to expose them to a biased narrative that may lead to permanent misconceptions at a time when they lack the ability to understand the many responsibilities of the judiciary," the bench said.
"While taking this initiative, we must keep in mind that embedding such text within a nationwide middle school curriculum would bypass safeguards for balanced education, risking the erosion of institutional trust among students, teachers, parents, and society," it said.
The bench also noted subsequent developments, including a press release issued by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Wednesday.
"We will consider this question at an appropriate stage: whether the apology has been offered sincerely to address the prima facie contempt, or whether it is merely a tactic to avoid consequences, particularly given the significant and irreversible damage that has already occurred," the bench said.
The bench directed the NCERT, in coordination with education departments, to ensure that all copies of the book, in hard or soft form, currently in circulation, including those held in storage, retail outlets, or educational institutions, are seized and removed from public access.
The Centre and its agencies would ensure that the book is removed immediately from all physical and digital platforms without delay.
The bench directed the NCERT director and principals of schools where the book has been circulated or prescribed to immediately seize and seal all physical and digital copies within their premises, and submit a compliance report.
They were also asked to ensure that no further pedagogical instructions are imparted based on the contents of the physical or digital copy of the book.
The bench directed the NCERT director to submit a comprehensive list and details pertaining to the members of the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee, who approved the offending chapter, and listed the matter for further hearing on March 11.