By: The Trek News Desk
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has issued an unconditional apology after controversy erupted over a reference to “corruption” in a chapter related to the judiciary in a Class 8 social science textbook. The council also confirmed that the entire book has been withdrawn and is no longer available.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, NCERT said that its director and members deeply regret the content included in Chapter IV of the book and have offered a complete and unconditional apology for the issue. According to the council, the decision to withdraw the entire textbook was taken after concerns were raised over the chapter.
The controversy began last month when a newly released social science textbook for Class 8 included a section discussing the role of the judiciary. The chapter sparked debate because it contained a reference to corruption within the judicial system, which many critics considered inappropriate for a school-level textbook.
Taking the matter seriously, the Supreme Court of India initiated a suo-motu case to examine the issue. Following this, NCERT promptly decided to pull the book from circulation and acknowledged that the inclusion of the disputed content was an “error in judgment.”
During the court proceedings, however, the bench reportedly questioned NCERT’s initial explanation and asked the council to provide a clearer response regarding how the content was included in the textbook.
In its latest statement, NCERT expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by the incident and thanked stakeholders for their understanding. The council also reiterated its commitment to maintaining high standards of accuracy, sensitivity, and responsibility while preparing educational material for students.
Source: News Agencies
