Hours after the Supreme Court order on the text book controversy, the NCERT is ascertaining the process of making textbooks which led to the error in judgement about inclusion of a chapter on "judicial corruption", sources said. The Council is also identifying the persons responsible for inclusion of the text, sources added. "The NCERT is ascertaining the process of making textbooks which has led to this error of judgement and also identify the persons responsible for the same. This would also ensure that this kind of inappropriateness is completely avoided in future. This shall be done with utmost strictness," sources told PTI.
Dharmendra Pradhan expresss anguish
Earlier in the day, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed anguish over the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) coming up with a chapter on judicial corruption in its Class 8 textbook, while promising to fix accountability and take action against those involved in drafting the controversial portion.
His remarks came on a day the Supreme Court observed that there appeared to be a "well-orchestrated conspiracy" to defame the judiciary. It imposed a "complete blanket ban" on the Class 8 NCERT book and ordered that all copies, physical and digital, be seized.
Here’s what NCERT's textbook for Class 8 states
The NCERT's Social Science textbook for Class 8 states that corruption, a massive backlog of cases and the lack of an adequate number of judges are among the challenges faced by the judicial system.
After stern words by the Supreme Court that it will not allow "anyone on earth" to tarnish the judiciary's integrity, the NCERT pulled the textbook from its website, with sources saying the government was livid with the controversial references in the curriculum.
The NCERT on Wednesday also apologised for "inappropriate content" after facing the Supreme Court's ire over the chapter and said the book will be rewritten in consultation with appropriate authorities.
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