NCERT to remove 'judicial corruption' references from textbooks after backlash
What's the story
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will reportedly undergo a revision of its Class VIII textbooks after a section referencing "corruption at various levels of the judiciary" triggered a controversy. High-level government sources told NDTV that references to "corruption at various levels of the judiciary" will be removed from the curriculum. They said this section "should not have been written"; instead, "inspirational things" should have been written.
Judicial response
SC's concern over judicial corruption taught to kids
The decision comes after the Supreme Court expressed "grave concern" over the matter, with Chief Justice Surya Kant stressing that no one should be allowed to "defame the institution." "The bar and the bench are perturbed. Every stakeholder in the system is really perturbed." "I will not anyone on earth to taint the integrity of the institution...Whoseoever high it may be, the law will take its course. I know how to deal with it," CJI said.
Educational content
Revised chapter on judiciary
The NCERT's revised chapter, "Role of the Judiciary in Our Society," goes beyond court hierarchy and access to justice. It also addresses issues like corruption and backlogs. The chapter mentions pending cases in various courts and talks about judges' conduct codes. It highlights efforts at state and Union levels to boost transparency using technology and quick actions against corruption.
Controversial citation
Quoting Gavai 'not right': Government sources
The chapter also quotes former Chief Justice BR Gavai, who spoke about corruption affecting public confidence in July 2025. He emphasized the need for swift and transparent action to restore trust. However, government sources now say quoting Gavai "is not right" and "is not appropriate." They raised concern that selective quoting could send an unintentional or misleading message about the judiciary's functioning and credibility.
Book
Old textbook discussed role of the judiciary
The old textbook simply discussed the role of the judiciary, what an independent judiciary is, the structure of the courts, and access to them, and made no mention of corruption. However, the new textbook contained a chapter that identified "corruption at various levels of the judiciary" and "massive backlog...on account of multiple reasons, such as a lack of an adequate number of judges, complicated legal procedures, and poor infrastructure" as "challenges" facing the judicial system.