NCERT clears revised Class 8 textbook after judiciary chapter row

NCERT clears revised Class 8 social science textbook after judiciary chapter controversy, with updated content expected to be released within a week

The Centre has revised the Class 8 social science textbook that was withdrawn earlier this year following concerns over a section on judicial corruption. The updated edition is likely to be released within a week, according to two people aware of the matter.

 

The revised textbook has received clearance from an expert committee constituted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Changes were made after a review of the contentious chapter on the judiciary.

 

“The revised textbook has been cleared by the expert panel, with final approval expected at an upcoming syllabus committee meeting of NCERT. Printing is likely to commence later this week,” an official said.

 

 

The Centre had earlier informed the Supreme Court that a three-member expert committee had been constituted to rewrite the chapter, following the controversy over references to “corruption in the judiciary”. The panel was tasked with revising the content to ensure it is appropriate for students.

 

The controversy began after the NCERT textbook included references to judicial corruption, prompting objections over how the issue was presented to middle-school students. The matter reached the Supreme Court through petitions arguing that the framing was inappropriate for the age group and could undermine confidence in institutions.

 

Concerns were also raised by some parents, sections of the legal community and commentators over the language and contextualisation, while some educators and academics maintained that institutional accountability and real-world issues should not be entirely excluded from school curricula.

 

During the proceedings, the Centre told the court that the expert committee would review and rewrite the chapter. The textbook was subsequently withdrawn, and the panel examined the language, examples and overall presentation to ensure it remained pedagogically appropriate and aligned with curriculum objectives.

 

The development comes at a time when NCERT has been undertaking periodic textbook revisions in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises updated content, reduced curriculum load and more contextualised learning material.