The Supreme Court on Wednesday voiced serious concern over a newly introduced Class 8 NCERT social science textbook that refers to corruption within the judiciary. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant made it clear that he would not tolerate any attempt to harm the image of the judicial system. Speaking firmly, he said he would not “allow anyone on earth to defame the judiciary.”

A Bench led by the Chief Justice decided to take suo motu cognisance of the matter after senior advocates Kapil Sibal, A.M. Singhvi, and Mukul Rohatgi brought the issue to the court’s attention. Their objections centred on the way the textbook discusses corruption in the judicial system. According to the Chief Justice, the inclusion of such references appeared to be part of a “deep-rooted and calculated conspiracy” aimed at damaging the reputation of the courts. He stressed that the judiciary remains one of the most trusted institutions in the country and must not be portrayed unfairly.

Addressing the matter in open court, the Chief Justice stated, “I have already taken suo motu cognisance of it,” indicating that the court had decided on its own to examine the issue formally. He added that judges of both the Supreme Court and various High Courts were deeply disturbed by the development. The Chief Justice also disclosed that he had received calls from different quarters, all expressing concern about what he described as a “selective reference” to corruption in an institution that enjoys high public confidence.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that it was troubling for young school students to be taught that the judiciary is corrupt, especially at a time when public trust in the courts remains strong. A.M. Singhvi supported this view, pointing out that while corruption can exist in many areas of public life, the textbook focuses specifically on the judiciary and does not similarly address corruption in politics, bureaucracy, or business. Mukul Rohatgi also stood in support of the concerns raised before the court, backing the objections presented by his fellow advocates.

Responding to the arguments, the Chief Justice told the lawyers, “Wait for a day. I have already taken suo motu cognisance,” signalling that the matter would be examined carefully and in detail.

The controversy revolves around a revised NCERT social science textbook for Class 8. The book contains a chapter titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society.” In earlier editions, the focus was mainly on explaining how courts are structured, how they function, and how citizens can approach them for justice. The revised chapter, however, expands the discussion to include systemic challenges facing the judicial system. These challenges include corruption, a heavy backlog of cases, and a shortage of judges.

One part of the chapter clearly states that “people do experience corruption at various levels of the judiciary” and explains that such experiences can make it harder for poor and disadvantaged individuals to access justice. At the same time, the textbook mentions that efforts are being made at both State and Union levels to improve transparency. These efforts include the use of technology and stricter oversight to ensure that instances of corruption are addressed quickly.

The book also provides specific figures to show the scale of pending cases across the country’s courts. It notes that around 81,000 cases are pending before the Supreme Court, about 62.40 lakh cases are pending in High Courts, and nearly 4.70 crore cases are pending in district and subordinate courts. These numbers are included to give students an idea of the size and workload of the judicial system.

The revised chapter appears to aim at presenting students with a realistic picture of how the justice system operates, including the difficulties it faces. However, the strong reaction from the Supreme Court suggests deep concern over how such sensitive topics are framed for young learners. In the court’s view, the way corruption is highlighted risks weakening public confidence in a key pillar of Indian democracy.

The issue began with the release of a new NCERT Social Science textbook for Class 8 titled Exploring Society: India and Beyond. For the first time, this book introduces students to the broader challenges within the judiciary, including corruption and case backlogs. Earlier textbooks had mainly described the structure, role, and independence of courts, with only brief mentions of delays in delivering justice.

In the new chapter, “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,” the scope is widened. It lists “corruption at various levels of the judiciary” and “massive backlog” among the main challenges faced by the system. At the same time, the chapter also explains the internal accountability mechanisms within the judiciary. These include codes of conduct for judges, complaint procedures, and the constitutional process of impeachment.

The data on pending cases is repeated to underline the seriousness of the backlog: over 81,000 cases in the Supreme Court, about 62.40 lakh in High Courts, and around 4.70 crore in district and subordinate courts. The chapter argues that wherever corruption exists, it harms the poor and disadvantaged the most. It also explains that governments are attempting to improve transparency by using technology and strengthening oversight systems.

Beyond discussing challenges, the chapter seeks to help students understand the constitutional role of the judiciary. It refers to recent instances where courts have struck down provisions related to electoral bonds and certain parts of the Information Technology law that were seen as limiting free speech. Students are encouraged to think about why an independent judiciary is important in protecting democratic values.

These changes form part of NCERT’s wider revision of textbooks in line with the National Education Policy, 2020, and the new National Curriculum Framework. Under this broader reform process, new textbooks for Classes 1 to 8 have been introduced following the rationalisation of older content after the COVID-19 period.

As the matter now stands, the Supreme Court has signalled that it will closely examine how the judiciary is being presented to school students. The outcome of this scrutiny may have important implications not only for the textbook in question but also for how sensitive institutional issues are addressed in educational materials across the country.