The Supreme Court Cracks Down: NCERT Book Chapter on Judiciary Deemed 'Scandalous' and Ordered Removed

Well, this is quite a development, isn't it? The Supreme Court of India, in a rather firm and unequivocal stance, has essentially slammed the brakes on a particular chapter in a Class 11 NCERT political science textbook. We're talking about the "Judiciary" chapter here, and the court's directive is pretty clear: get rid of it. And by "get rid of it," they mean a full-scale operation – seize all physical copies from the market, pull them off the shelves, and scrub any digital versions from the internet.

You see, the bench, comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, didn't mince words. They called the content "shocking," "scandalous," and "insidious," suggesting it was deeply damaging to the institution of the judiciary itself. Just imagine, a textbook for young minds, supposedly educational, depicting judges under political pressure or even implying corruption. The court found this absolutely unacceptable, going so far as to brand it "derogatory" and something that seriously undermines the very integrity and independence of the Indian judicial system.

What exactly got their Lordships so riled up, you might ask? It seems the chapter featured a rather contentious cartoon by K. Shankar, along with some text that, taken together, painted a less-than-flattering picture of the judiciary. This material reportedly harked back to the 1970s and 80s, an era when judicial appointments and the overall functioning of the courts were, shall we say, a topic of much debate and criticism. The court felt this was not just historical context but rather a portrayal that could sow seeds of doubt and disrespect towards the judiciary among students.

The whole issue was brought to the court's attention by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava. And the court's response was swift and decisive. They didn't just ask nicely; they issued a direct order for NCERT to act immediately. This isn't just about stopping the sale of new books; it's about recalling what's already out there. Think about it: every physical copy needs to be pulled back, and every digital trace removed. That's a huge undertaking, really, but the court emphasized the paramount importance of upholding the judiciary's image and trust.

Interestingly, NCERT, the National Council of Educational Research and Training, responded by explaining that the book itself was quite old, dating back to 2006-07. They also mentioned that it was already slated for review and revision. However, they did concede that the specific cartoon and accompanying text were indeed problematic. While that's a recognition of the issue, it didn't lessen the court's resolve. The bench has now directed NCERT to submit an affidavit detailing all the actions they've taken to comply with the order, and they want a report on this compliance within a mere two weeks. Furthermore, CBSE has been instructed to inform all affiliated schools about this significant directive.

It's also worth noting that this particular cartoon isn't new to controversy. Back in 2017, it actually came up during a discussion in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. Yet, despite being flagged then, no concrete action was taken. This makes the Supreme Court's current intervention even more significant, highlighting its determination to protect the institutional reputation of the judiciary. All in all, this move sends a very clear message: when it comes to material that might undermine public trust in core institutions like the judiciary, the highest court is not afraid to step in and demand immediate corrective measures.