The National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) Class 8 Social Science textbook became the centre of a national controversy in February 2026 after a chapter discussing corruption in the judiciary was published. The Supreme Court of India initiated suo motu proceedings, and the Union government, led by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, ordered the immediate withdrawal of the textbook and promised a thorough inquiry into the matter. The Prime Minister directed that accountability be fixed, and the Education Ministry moved to halt further dissemination of the book.According to Hindustan Times, officials stated that the controversial chapter was drafted by a committee that included a lawyer but was not reviewed by any member of the legal fraternity. The chapter, introduced in the 2026 curriculum, addressed issues such as corruption, wealth disparity, and the erosion of judicial independence, raising questions about the functioning of democratic institutions.As reported by The Hindu, the Supreme Court described the textbook content as a “deep-rooted conspiracy” and a “very, very calculated move” to portray the judiciary as corrupt. The Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, ordered a blanket ban on the book and directed the seizure of all copies, both digital and physical, citing the risk of instilling bias in young students.In the wake of the Supreme Court’s intervention, The Indian Express highlighted that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed regret over the incident and reiterated the government’s respect for the judiciary. The editorial noted that the inclusion of judicial corruption in the textbook followed a pattern of controversial changes in NCERT materials in recent years.As noted in an article by The Hindu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed authorities to ensure accountability, while Dharmendra Pradhan announced that an inquiry would be conducted and action taken against those responsible. The Education Ministry also coordinated with other ministries to prevent further distribution of the textbook.“The moment it came to our notice, directions were issued to withdraw the book and stop its distribution. We have the utmost respect for the judiciary and there was no intent to disrespect the judiciary,” Dharmendra Pradhan stated, according to official remarks.Further coverage revealed that the NCERT’s textbook development process involves multiple stages and committees, but no legal expert reviewed the contentious chapter. The officials clarified that the content was included to encourage students to investigate and respond to real-world challenges, as mandated by the National Education Policy 2020.The Supreme Court’s order included a show cause notice to the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy and the NCERT Director, demanding explanations for the inclusion and defence of the material. The Bench emphasised that the book’s narrative failed to acknowledge the judiciary’s role in upholding constitutional morality and omitted reference to reforms and legal aid initiatives as details emerged.In response to the controversy, the NCERT issued a public apology and withdrew the textbook from circulation. The Supreme Court maintained that the proceedings would continue until full accountability was established, underscoring the importance of safeguarding the integrity of educational materials following reports.“This is a well-orchestrated and planned move. I would like to have a deeper probe. As the head of the judiciary, it is my duty to find out who is responsible. If there are more than one, heads must roll. Accountability must be there. I am not going to close this proceeding till I am satisfied,” Chief Justice Surya Kant stated during the hearing.At the end of the week, the Education Ministry reiterated its commitment to comply with the Supreme Court’s directions and to ensure that future textbook content is reviewed with greater scrutiny as analysis showed.Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.