New Delhi, Mar 10: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has issued an unconditional apology after withdrawing its Class 8 Social Science textbook “Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part II)” following concerns over a chapter related to the judiciary.
According to a statement posted on X, the NCERT Director and members apologised for Chapter IV titled “The Role of Judiciary in our Society” in the book.
The council said the entire textbook has been withdrawn and is no longer available.
NCERT expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining accuracy, sensitivity and responsibility in educational content. The move follows objections regarding the portrayal of the judiciary in the chapter, including a sub-section titled “Corruption in the Judiciary.”
Earlier, the Supreme Court of India had imposed a blanket ban on the publication and dissemination of the textbook on February 26. The court also directed NCERT to submit details of the Teaching-Learning Materials Committee that approved the chapter.
NCERT has requested individuals or organisations possessing the textbook to return it to the Department of Education in Social Sciences or the Publication Division at its New Delhi office. It also urged people to delete any digital or social media content related to the chapter at the earliest.
