NCERT row: 'Fix responsibility, take action': PM Modi directs Education ministry over 'corruption in judiciary' section row

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learnt to have directed the Ministry of Education to take action against concerned people following row over the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 8 textbook chapter on "corruption" in the judiciary.

The PM, who is on an official tour to Israel, was learnt to have directed the Education Ministry to fix the responsibility against those responsible for this embarrassment.

Meanwhile, the NCERT is ascertaining the process of making textbooks which led to the error in judgement about inclusion of a chapter on "judicial corruption", sources in the government said.

The Council is also identifying the people responsible for inclusion of the text.

"The NCERT is ascertaining the process of making textbooks which has led to this error of judgement and also identify the persons responsible for the same. This would also ensure that this kind of inappropriateness is completely avoided in future," a source said.

Separately, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed anguish over the issue and promised to fix accountability and take action against those involved in drafting the controversial portion.

"I am very sad at what has happened and express regret... There was no intention to insult the judiciary. An inquiry will be conducted and accountability fixed. Action will be taken against those involved in drafting the chapter. As soon as we got to know (about it), the circulation of the textbooks was put on hold," Pradhan told reporters in Jamshedpur.

"In a democratic country like India, the judiciary is supreme and we have utmost respect for it. We have taken the issue very seriously. The court's directives will be complied with," the minister said.

The NCERT's Social Science textbook for Class 8 states that corruption, a massive backlog of cases and the lack of an adequate number of judges are among the challenges faced by the judicial system.

The NCERT already removed the textbook from its website and also apologised on Wednesday for "inappropriate content" and said that the book will be rewritten in consultation with appropriate authorities.