NCERT book row: 'Worried with revision of controversial chapter'| SC asks Centre to form committee of experts

The apex court said it was the worried by NCERT's stand that controversial chapter has been "rewritten" and that revised chapter will be added next academic year.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to constitute a committee of domain experts within a week to finalise the curriculum related to legal studies in NCERT textbooks.

The top court said, it was the worried by the NCERT's stand that the controversial chapter, containing the "offending" content on corruption in the judiciary, in the Class 8 social sciences book has been "rewritten" and that the revised chapter will be incorporated in the textbooks for the 2026-27 academic year.

Taking up a suo motu matter, a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi directed the Centre and all states to disassociate Professor Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar, who were involved in drafting the offending chapter, forthwith with any project and not to assign them any responsibility which involves public funds.

The bench said that Danino, Diwakar and Kumar do not have any reasonable knowledge about the judiciary, and there is no reason why such persons should be associated in any manner with the preparation of curriculum or finalisation of textbooks for the next generation.

The bench, however, clarified that this order would be subject to their approaching this court for modification with an explanation.

The bench directed that the Centre must revisit the composition of the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC), especially those to whom the offending chapter was shown.

During the hearing, the bench also strongly criticised the irresponsible content circulating in the media and directed the Centre to identify the websites involved and the persons operating them. The court asked the Centre to furnish its complete details before it so that appropriate action can be taken.

The bench observed that the law must take its course against "mischief-mongers", and the court would not spare those responsible even if they were "hiding outside the country."

The court also noted that Director NCERT has filed an affidavit tendering unconditional and unqualified apology.

However, referring to the NCERT's affidavit, the bench pointed out, a paragraph said that the chapter has been rewritten in the textbook. 

The bench asked where the chapter is and who has done it? The NCERT director, who was present in the courtroom, said that they have experts and faculty members.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, "That chapter will not go into the textbook unless the committee which this court has in contemplation examines not only this chapter but everything.''

"We do not understand how and in what manner it was rewritten, who the persons were who have rewritten it, and what the present contents of that rewritten chapter are," the bench said.

The bench said, after the court earlier expressed its concern with the contents of the chapter, the director of NCERT has come up with such a laconic statement.

The bench also noted the affidavit said that the revised chapter would be incorporated in the academic session 2026-27, and would be used for classrooms in all states in accordance with the applicable curriculum and academic framework.

"What is that applicable curriculum and academic framework," the bench asked Mehta, who said that he can assure that nothing will go as a textbook without being vetted by a committee of domain experts, independent of the government.

On February 26, while imposing a complete blanket ban on any further publication, printing or digital dissemination of the NCERT book titled “Exploring Society, India and Beyond”, the Supreme Court had directed Professor (Dr) Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director, NCERT to submit a comprehensive list and details pertaining to members of the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee, who approved the offending chapter.

The court registered the suo motu case 'In Re: Social Science Text Book for Grade 8 (Part 2) Published by NCERT and Ancillary Issues', taking objection a chapter titled as 'corruption' in judiciary.