Supreme Court of India addresses NCERT textbook controversy

The Supreme Court of India has stated that while the judiciary is not averse to criticism, such discourse must be responsible, informed, and voiced through appropriate forums rather than unverified assertions in school curricula.

The observations were made by a bench including Chief Justice Surya Kant while closing suo motu proceedings regarding a Class 8 NCERT social science textbook. The textbook had contained content concerning corruption in the judiciary that was deemed offending.

The court noted that the controversial chapter has since been replaced following revisions suggested by an expert panel appointed by the Centre. The bench emphasized that constructive critique is a necessary feature of democracy for institutional accountability, but cautioned against placing unverified claims in materials intended for impressionable students.