NCERT’s apology insufficient, Supreme Court says – judiciary is bleeding…
prawakta .com
New Delhi. The Supreme Court has immediately banned the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)’s Class 8 social science textbook. The court called the controversial chapter on corruption in the judiciary published in the book a deeply ingrained conspiracy to undermine and defame the institution’s reputation and ordered a thorough investigation. The court refused to drop the suo motu proceedings in the case, calling the NCERT’s apology insufficient.
A bench comprising Chief Justice (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi said during the suo motu proceedings on Thursday, “The judiciary is bleeding; they have fired bullets. At first glance, this appears to be a well-planned conspiracy to undermine the institutional dignity of the judiciary. Those responsible will be identified and action will be taken.”
CJI Surya Kant said, “As the head of the institution, it is my duty to identify the person responsible. Responsibility must be fixed. We will not close the case.” The bench also directed the Secretary of the Department of School Education, Ministry of Education, to issue notices to the Court.
The mistake was not unintentional, but the director defended the mistake instead of apologizing.
The bench said, “The language and expressions used in the book do not appear to be a simple oversight or an inadvertent error. It appears that an attempt has been made to undermine the institutional authority of the judiciary and to undermine its dignity. If left unchecked, it may create a wrong impression about the judiciary in the minds of the youth and the general public.” The court objected that after the controversy erupted, the NCERT Director, instead of introspecting, defended the contents of the book. This attitude, the bench said, raises further serious concerns.
And show cause notice was issued to NCERT Director Dr. Dinesh Prasad Saklani under the Contempt of Court Act.
The Supreme Court directed the NCERT, in coordination with the Central and State Education Departments, to ensure that
The Centre tendered an unconditional apology. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Central government.
Mehta apologized unconditionally. Children cannot be taught that justice is not served. He said the controversial portion has been withdrawn. The entire book will be reviewed by an expert committee. He also said the individuals who drafted the chapter will not be given any future ministry assignments. Only 32 books were in the market, and they are being withdrawn. We are not distributing the remaining books.
Please provide the names and qualifications of those who prepared the chapter.
The court stated that simply removing the individuals involved was not sufficient. It requested the names and qualifications of the National Syllabus Board members who drafted the controversial chapter. It also requested the submission of the minutes of the meeting in which the chapter was finalized.
All copies of the book, whether hard copy or digital, should be immediately removed from public access. The book should not be available at any school, bookseller, or online platform. The NCERT Director and all state education secretaries should also be asked to remove the book within two weeks.
The court clarified that this action is not intended to suppress legitimate criticism of the judiciary. Healthy debate and institutional review are essential in a democracy, but it is inappropriate to instill a biased or one-sided perspective in the tender minds of students.
A compliance report must be filed. The bench ordered that any teaching activity based on the book be stopped immediately. A complete ban has been imposed on the production and distribution of the book. The bench has scheduled the next hearing for March 11.
It is the responsibility of the education system to have a balanced approach
The court said the education system’s responsibility is to present a balanced and factual perspective, not to foster distrust of institutions. Students should learn the nuances of public life from an early age.
Starting to understand.
The bench said, at a young age when they are trying to understand the many and onerous responsibilities of the judiciary, serving them a one-sided narrative may create a permanent misunderstanding in their minds, which is absolutely wrong.
Pradhan apologized and assured an investigation.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed regret, saying, “We have the utmost respect for the judiciary. We will carry out what the judiciary says. I regret whatever happened.” Pradhan added, “All NCERT books have been recalled and instructions have been given to prevent their further distribution. There was no intention to insult the judiciary. NCERT will be investigated. Whoever is found guilty will face action. Such a mistake will not happen again.”
