Educational Turmoil: Government Responds to NCERT Textbook Controversy

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan backed the Supreme Court's show cause notice to senior education officials over a controversial textbook chapter on judicial corruption. Prompt actions were directed for book withdrawal, emphasizing respect for judiciary. The Supreme Court highlighted the serious implications of such content in educational materials.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday endorsed the Supreme Court of India's decision to issue show cause notices to key officials from the Education Ministry and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The action comes in response to a controversial sub-chapter titled 'Corruption in the judiciary' found in a Class 8 Social Science textbook.

Expressing regret both personally and on behalf of the government, Pradhan stated he had immediately instructed the NCERT to withdraw and cancel the offending books. He emphasized the government's respect for the judiciary and vowed compliance with the Supreme Court's directives. Pradhan mentioned assigning responsibility to the department secretary to ensure appropriate action against those responsible for including the contentious chapter.

The Supreme Court's notice to educational authorities underscores the seriousness of the situation. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant highlighted the potential implications of portraying the Indian judiciary as corrupt. While NCERT apologized and promised revisions, the court demanded detailed records of the committee approving the chapter, refusing to halt proceedings and warning against any attempts to contravene its order.

(With inputs from agencies.)