Justice for all: On the NCERT Textbook Issue, the Judiciary The Supreme Court of India has expressed concern over references to judicial corruption in a National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbook, directing that the curriculum development team lacked “reasonable, informed knowledge about the Indian judiciary.” The Court’s ruling has raised alarms about potential bias in textbook content, as it has instructed that individuals involved in the NCERT team should not be associated with preparing school curricula or finalizing textbooks for future generations. This directive has cast doubt over the entire process of textbook creation, with critics arguing that the Court’s focus on judicial chapters could set a precedent for other subjects, particularly history, where factual misrepresentation has occasionally been linked to ideological bias. The Court’s decision to involve a senior judge in approving chapters on the judiciary has sparked debate about the need for similar scrutiny in other areas of the curriculum. For instance, history textbooks have faced scrutiny for their portrayal of historical figures and events. A class eight social science textbook, for example, describes Muslim rulers as uniformly cruel and repressive while portraying Hindu kingdoms as benevolent and resistant to Muslim rule. Such narratives have drawn criticism for lacking objectivity and potentially fostering prejudice, despite disclaimers stating that modern students are not responsible for the “sins” of the past. The BJP and its affiliated groups have long criticized Indian textbooks for being “Macaulay-an,” arguing that they promoted a Westernized perspective that devalued India’s traditions and Hindu heritage.#judiciary #bjp #supreme_court_of_india #ncert #textbook_content
