Supreme Court seeks details of NCERT committee members who drafted 'corruption' chapter

New Delhi: 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 on Thursday 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.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi also cautioned that any attempt to circumvent its order through electronic media or alternative titles, containing the same contents, would be treated as a direct interference, willful breach and defiance of the directions.

In its order, the court sought to know the specific names and credentials of the textbook development team responsible for drafting chapter No.4.

The bench also directed the original records of the minutes of all meetings, where the offending chapter was deliberated and finalised, would be produced on the next date of hearing, March 11, 2026.

In its suo motu proceedings, the court also issued show cause notice to the Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (Ministry of Education), Government of India; and Saklani, Director, NCERT why contempt action should not be taken against them.

During the hearing, it was stated that the chapter in the subject book would be rewritten in consultation with the appropriate authority and an apology has also been tendered through a press release.

The bench, however, said, "The question as to whether the apology has been tendered genuinely with a view to purging the prima facie contempt, or whether it is merely a ruse to evade the consequences, particularly when substantial irreversible damage has already been done, is a matter that we will consider at an appropriate stage."