NCERT textbook row: Supreme Court modifies earlier order concerning 3 academics
The apex court, unimpressed by its observations in its March 11 verdict, left the matter open to the Centre, states, Union territories, public universities and institutions receiving funds from the central or state governments to take an independent decision on the issue.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi recalled the portion of the March 11 judgment which noted that three academics (Professor Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar) had “deliberately and knowingly misrepresented facts” to Class 8 students to project a negative image about the Indian judiciary.
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The board accepted the decision after listening to the defense of three academics explaining their views, saying that no individual had the right to have a single say in the drafting of the content and that this was a collective process.
The Court also observed that its comments were made in the context of content and not individuals.
On March 11, the court had come down hard on three experts involved in drafting the controversial chapter of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 8 social science book and directed the Center and all states to dissociate from them.Also Read: PM Modi, Education Minister should be held accountable for ‘cover-up’: NTA Congress’ allegations on NEET exam
He had directed the Center to constitute a committee of experts in the field within a week to finalize NCERT’s legal studies syllabus not only for Class 8 but also for higher classes.
The bench was hearing a suo-motu (self-initiated) case titled “In Re: Social Science textbook for Class 8 (part-2) and ancillary subjects published by NCERT”.
The court was informed that the chapter was prepared by the textbook development team comprising members Diwakar and Kumar, headed by Danino.
On February 26, the apex court imposed a “blanket ban” on further publication, reprinting or digital distribution of NCERT’s Class 8 social science textbook containing “disturbing” content on corruption in the judiciary, saying gunfire had been fired and the judiciary was “bleeding”.
