NCERT to probe textbook error after Supreme Court's strong action

NCERT Director Dinesh Prashad Saklani is probing the 'error of judgment' in a Class 8 textbook after the Supreme Court took strong exception to a chapter on judicial corruption. The book's distribution has been withdrawn amid political backlash.

The Director of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Dinesh Prashad Saklani, is ascertaining the process behind the preparation of textbooks that led to what has been described as an "error of judgment," and will identify the persons or procedures responsible, sources said.

"The Director, NCERT, is ascertaining the process of making of the textbooks, which has led to this error of judgment and also identifying the persons/processes responsible for the same. This would also ensure that this kind of inappropriateness is completely avoided in future. This shall be done with the utmost strictness," sources told ANI.

Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognizance

The development comes amid a controversy over the inclusion of a sub-chapter titled "Corruption in the judiciary" in a Class 8 Social Science textbook. The Supreme Court of India has taken strong exception to the content and initiated suo motu proceedings.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant issued show cause notices to the Secretary of the Department of Education and Literacy and NCERT Director Dinesh Prashad Saklani, seeking an explanation on why action should not be initiated under contempt or other applicable laws. The apex court has also imposed a blanket ban on the contentious section and sought records of the committee that approved it.

NCERT Withdraws Textbook, Issues Apology

NCERT has since withdrawn distribution of the textbook and issued an apology, stating that the material would be reviewed and revised following due consultation.

Political and Legal Fraternity Demand Accountability

Meanwhile, several politicians have reacted on the development with Congress MP Jairam Ramesh backed the Supreme Court's outrage, calling the rewriting of NCERT textbooks over the past decade "shameful" and alleging that it reflected the "vile and malice-driven work" of the RSS. He demanded a broader investigation into those responsible.

BJD MP Sasmit Patra also supported the apex court's action, describing the curriculum as "extremely unwarranted and deplorable." He called for not only withdrawal of the books but also accountability and safeguards to prevent similar content from entering textbooks in the future.

Members of the Bar echoed similar concerns. Senior Advocate Pinky Anand termed the content "calculated and targeted," while Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay suggested that discussions on corruption should be broader and not confined to the judiciary alone. Adish C Aggarwala, Chairman of the All India Bar Association, said the court had taken the right step and termed the inclusion a serious lapse. (ANI)

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