New Delhi, February 26: The Supreme Court on Wednesday initiated suo moto proceedings regarding the inclusion of a section on “corruption in the judiciary” in the new NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asserted that the institution will not be allowed to be defamed.
“I’m fully aware of it. We will wait for a day. This definitely concerns the entire institution, both bar and bench. I am getting a lot of calls, lots of messages. I am taking suo moto cognisance of the issue. I will not let anybody, no matter how high up they are, defame the institution,” the Chief Justice said.
Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek M. Singhvi raised the issue before the CJI-led bench, arguing that children are being taught about corruption in the judiciary as if it does not exist in any other institution.
“They have left out bureaucracy, politics, etc. Not a word on other sectors. They are teaching as if it only exists in this institution,” the lawyers said.
The CJI acknowledged the seriousness of the matter, saying, “It’s a calculated and deep-rooted thing. We will not say anything more than that. As head of the institution, I’m aware, I’m already taking steps about it.”
Earlier reports indicated that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) introduced the section on “corruption in the judiciary” in its new Class 8 Social Science textbook, marking a shift from previous editions that focused primarily on the structure and role of courts.
The revised chapter, titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,” goes beyond explaining the hierarchy of courts and access to justice, addressing challenges faced by the judicial system, including corruption and case backlogs.
On Tuesday, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal criticised NCERT over the inclusion, questioning why corruption in other sectors is not addressed.
“NCERT’s Class 8 book includes a section on corruption in the judiciary! What about the massive corruption of politicians, including ministers, public servants, investigation agencies, and governments? Brush them under the carpet,” Sibal stated in his post on X. (Agency)
