Supreme Court Closes NCERT Textbook Case, Centre Confirms Incorporation & Publication Of New Chapter
|The Court has clarified that the statements regarding the authors' alleged failure to submit drafts to committees were submissions by the Solicitor General and not findings of the Court.
The Supreme Court has closed the main proceedings in the NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook controversy
The Solicitor General submitted that the controversial chapter has been replaced with a newly published version, and the Court officially closed the main suo motu proceedings.
The Court has also clarified its earlier order in the NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook case, specifying that statements regarding the authors' alleged failure to submit drafts to committees were submissions by the Solicitor General and not findings of the Court.
On February 25, the Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter on February 25, 2026, after Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned the issue before the Bench and expressed that the legal community is "deeply disturbed" by the fact that young students are being taught that the judiciary is a corrupt body.
The Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana ordered, "What has been recorded in Para 5 of our order dated May 22, 206, it is clarified that these are only statements recorded and not the observations or order passed by the Court...So, with these clarifications, the main case is also... the main proceedings are also closed."
Senior Advocates Arvind Datar and J Sai Deepak appeared for the Professors, while Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Union
Senior Advocate Arvind Datar, appearing on behalf of Professor Michel Danino, submitted that he has filed an application seeking modification of its earlier.
Datar submitted, "We just want to clarify that because, as framers of textbooks, there is a two-tier process. We only give the draft; it goes to two committees. So that has to be... because it'll again permanently come against us that we have been negligent in our duty...So, I've said that this is not correct because, procedurally, every textbook has to go through two committees. There are 44 members, and then there are 8 members. There's a procedure. So, it shows that I have been derelict in my duty—negligent...you have been kind enough to remove the permanent ban and all. That's all I want to clarify, my Lord, that we have sent it to the committee, and on facts, we can show that we have sent it to the committee."
"Suppose we say that this is only an observation made by the Solicitor General and not the observation of the Court. Will that be alright?", the Chief Justice said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, "It is my statement, not Your Lordships' expression. But the way it is construed, it was never made. Please read the statement...They say it was NCERT who was to... Yes! We never said that they have not placed it. I said, factually, that the curriculum was not placed before the committee, and therefore, it's not a collective decision."
The Court then asked, "Anyway, the object is that it should not cause harm to anyone...Now, anything survive in the matter?"
Regarding the new chapters, the Solicitor General informed, "They have already given the new chapter, which is, my Lord, incorporated."
While imposing a "complete blanket ban" on the publication of the controversial NCERT Class VIII Book, the Supreme Court had previously also remarked that exposing young students to biased narratives about the judiciary is improper because such misconceptions will inevitably spread through teachers and parents to impact the entire next generation. The Court has also directed the Union and State governments to "disassociate forthwith" from authors Professor Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar, and Alok Prasanna Kumar, barring them from any roles funded by public money.
On March 10, 2026, the NCERT issued a public apology which said, "National Council of Educational Research and Training [NCERT] has recently published a social science text book “Exploring Society: India and Beyond” Grade 8 (Part -II) which contained Chapter IV titled “The Role of Judiciary in our Society”. The Director and Members of NCERT hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the said Chapter IV. The entire book has been withdrawn and is not available."
On March 11, the Court had directed the Central Government to identify social media elements/sites and individuals who have "acted and reacted irresponsibly" following the Court’s recent intervention in the NCERT textbook controversy. The Court had also directed the Union and State governments to "disassociate forthwith" from authors Professor Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar, and Alok Prasanna Kumar, barring them from any roles funded by public money.
Cause Title: In Re Social Science Textbook For Grade 8 Part 2 Published By NCERT and Ancillary Issues [SMW(C) No. 1/2026]