Insia's Supreme Court seeks names behind NCERT judiciary chapter
Top court seeks identities of authors and approval panel, orders seizure of copies
Dubai: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to disclose the “specific names” of all individuals involved in drafting and approving a controversial Class 8 Social Science textbook chapter that refers to corruption in the judiciary, as the row escalated.
NDTV reported that the top court, taking serious exception to the contents of the chapter, ordered NCERT’s Director to submit a comprehensive list of members of the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee who cleared the chapter, along with the identities and credentials of the Textbook Development Team responsible for writing Chapter 4.
“The Director, NCERT is directed to submit a comprehensive list of committee members who approved the offending chapter, as well as the specific names and credentials of the Textbook Development Team,” the court said in its order.
The bench also sought the original records and minutes of meetings where the chapter was deliberated and finalised, underscoring its intent to probe the decision-making process behind the revisions.
“The original records of the minutes of all meetings where the offending chapter was deliberated and finalised shall be produced on the next date of hearing,” the court said.
Modi reacts
Accountability should be fixed, was the message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, government sources have told NDTV.
“Kaun dekh raha hai ye sab (Who is looking after all this),” a government source told NDTV quoting the Prime Minister, who is in Israel.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also expressed his regret today over the inclusion of the controversial chapter.
“We hold the judiciary in the highest regard... There was absolutely no intention on the part of the government to disrespect the judiciary. We are taking this matter very seriously... We will fully comply with the judiciary’s decision. I am deeply saddened by what happened and express my regret,” Pradhan told reporters.
Corruption and case backlogs
The controversy centres on the revised chapter titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,” which marks a departure from earlier editions by addressing challenges within the judicial system, including corruption and case backlogs.
Expressing strong disapproval, the Supreme Court issued show-cause notices to the Secretary of School Education in the Ministry of Education and the Director of NCERT, seeking an explanation on why contempt proceedings should not be initiated under the Contempt of Court Act and other applicable laws.
“We would like to have a deeper probe. We need to find out who is responsible… heads must roll. We won’t close the case,” the bench observed during the hearing, as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared on behalf of NCERT.
In a sweeping interim order, the court imposed a ban on the textbook both in India and overseas, directing authorities to seize all printed copies. It also issued a blanket prohibition on sharing the book online, either in full or in part.
NDTV further reported that notices have been issued to the Centre and NCERT Chairman Professor Dinesh Prasad Saklani.
The NCERT, meanwhile, described the inclusion of the disputed references as “an error of judgement” and apologised for the same.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed regret over the controversy, stating there was “absolutely no intention on the part of the government to disrespect the judiciary.”
