SC Takes Suo Motu Cognizance Of Chapter On ‘Corruption In Judiciary’ In NCERT Textbook
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asserts that the institution will not be allowed to be defamed
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has taken a serious view of a chapter on “corruption in the judiciary” in a Class-VIII Social Science textbook, published by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT).
The Court, on Wednesday, initiated suo motu proceedings, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asserting that the institution will not be allowed to be defamed, as reported by ANI.
“I’m fully aware of it. We will wait for a day. This definitely concerns the entire institution. Both bar and bench. I am getting a lot of calls, lots of messages. I’m taking suo motu cognisance of the issue. I will not let anybody, no matter how high up they are, defame the institution,” CJI Kant said.
The matter was brought up before the Court by senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi. They mentioned that children are being taught the subject of corruption in the judiciary as if it doesn’t exist anywhere else in any other institution.
“They have left out bureaucracy, politics, etc. Not a word on other sectors. They are teaching as if it only exists in this institution”, the lawyers said.
In response to this, the CJI acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and said: “it’s a calculated and deep-rooted thing. We will not say anything more than that. As head of the institution, I’m aware, I’m already doing something about it.”
The NCERT has introduced a section on “corruption in the judiciary” in the textbook, marking a significant shift from earlier editions that largely focused on the structure and role of courts.
The revised chapter, titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,” goes beyond explaining the hierarchy of courts and access to justice, and addresses challenges faced by the judicial system, including corruption and case backlogs.
Sibal criticised this move, questioning why corruption in other sectors is not addressed.
“NCERT’s Class 8 book includes a section on corruption in the judiciary! What about the massive corruption of politicians, including ministers, public servants, investigation agencies, and governments? Brush them under the carpet,” Sibal stated in his post on X.