Supreme Court Bans NCERT Class 8 Book, Issues Contempt Notice Over ‘Judicial Corruption’ Chapter

In In Re : Social Science Textbook for Grade-8 (Part 2) published by NCERT and ancillary issues | SMW (C) 1/2026, the Supreme Court on Thursday passed strong directions against the publication of a Class 8 textbook chapter referring to “corruption in judiciary”. The Court not only banned the book but also initiated contempt proceedings.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi took suo motu cognisance of the issue. The Court issued show-cause notices to the Secretary of School Education, Ministry of Education, and the NCERT Director.

The Bench observed that if the publication was a deliberate act to scandalise the judiciary, it could amount to criminal contempt. The Court said it would examine whether the regret expressed by NCERT was genuine or merely an attempt to escape liability.

The Court imposed a complete ban on the publication, reprinting and digital circulation of the textbook. It directed that all physical copies must be seized immediately. Soft copies were also ordered to be taken down from every platform.

The NCERT, along with Union and State education departments, has been directed to remove the book from schools, storage units and retail outlets. The Court made it the personal responsibility of the NCERT Director and school principals to ensure compliance within two weeks.

It further clarified that no teaching or instruction should be based on the banned textbook. Any attempt to circulate the material under a different title or format would be treated as wilful disobedience of the Court’s order.

The Court also directed the NCERT Director to disclose the names and credentials of individuals involved in drafting the controversial chapter. Original meeting records relating to the approval of the chapter have been sought for the next hearing.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Court that NCERT had withdrawn the chapter and expressed regret. However, the CJI remarked that the press statement contained “not a single word of apology”.

The Bench criticised a letter written by the NCERT Director defending the chapter, calling it “contemptuous and reckless”. It observed that the content created an impression that complaints against judges went unaddressed and quoted former CJI BR Gavai out of context.

The Court noted that the chapter failed to mention the judiciary’s role in strengthening democracy. It said the language used appeared to be a calculated attempt to undermine institutional dignity, especially before impressionable young students.

CJI Surya Kant described the development as a “deep-rooted, well-orchestrated conspiracy” to malign the judiciary. He stated, “Heads must roll, I am not going to close these proceedings.”

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal and other senior members of the Bar supported the judicial intervention. The Court also directed steps to ensure that PDF copies circulating on social media are removed.

The matter arose after media reports highlighted the chapter’s references to judicial corruption and case backlogs. The Court has now made it clear that accountability will be fixed and the issue will be examined in detail.