The revised social science textbook presents the judiciary as an independent institution protecting constitutional rights
NEW DELHI — The National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) Class 8 social science textbook, which was revised following the Supreme Court’s intervention for allegedly defaming the judiciary, has more corrections — a tweaked version of Congress’ position on Partition in 1947, saying its acceptance as the only way forward remains a matter of debate.
While VD Savarkar’s demand for Swaraj has been added in the new textbook, the references to Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology have been dropped.
Months after it stoked a controversy for allegedly defaming the judiciary, the NCERT this week released the revised Class 8 social science textbook — “Exploring Society: India and Beyond” — dropping the disputed portions.
The controversial portions along with references to judicial backlog and two major court verdicts have been dropped while fresh material on Public Interest Litigation (PIL), tribunals and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms has been added in the revised textbook.
The updated chapter describes the judiciary as an independent and impartial institution that protects citizens’ rights and upholds the Constitution.
Changes have also been made to the introductory section of the chapter, titled “Big Questions.”
In the previous edition, students were asked why an independent judiciary was necessary. In the revised version, the focus has shifted to a broader question: why justice is important for creating a “fair and harmonious society”.
In February this year, the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the matter and expressed concern over the content included in the textbook.
The court directed that the publication and reprinting of the textbook be stopped, stating that it contained inappropriate material.
It also instructed the Central Government and state education authorities to remove all printed and digital copies of the book from public access.
Following the court’s directions, NCERT initiated a review process and revised the relevant chapter.
The revised textbook states that the chapter on the judiciary was rewritten by an expert committee in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions.
The new edition lists 48 members in its development team, compared to 51 members in the earlier edition.
Reports indicate that Michael Danino, Suprana Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar, who were associated with the earlier version of the chapter, are no longer part of the revised team.
The changes have renewed discussions about how institutions such as the judiciary should be presented in school textbooks.
Supporters of the revision argue that textbooks should provide age-appropriate material and avoid content that could be considered misleading or insufficiently contextualised.
Others have raised questions about whether removing discussions of institutional challenges may limit students’ understanding of the functioning and accountability of public institutions.
