The Supreme Court has issued sweeping and time-bound directions to NCERT over the withdrawn Class 8 Social Science textbook. From ordering an immediate nationwide removal to seeking names of those who drafted the contentious chapter, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has escalated the matter into a strict compliance and accountability exercise.
Here are the main Supreme Court orders in 5 points:
1. IMMEDIATE REMOVAL FROM ALL PLATFORMS
The Supreme Court has directed NCERT, in coordination with Union and state education departments, to ensure that every copy of the Class 8 Social Science book, whether in hard copy or digital form, is removed from public access immediately.
This includes copies in retail outlets, schools, and online platforms. The court has made it clear that no delay will be tolerated.
2. SEIZURE OF BOOKS AND COMPLIANCE REPORT
The Chief Justice has said it will be the responsibility of the NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani to ensure immediate seizure of all copies already sent to schools.
A formal compliance report must be filed before the court. Additionally, Principal Secretaries of Education in all states have been directed to implement the order and submit their own compliance reports within two weeks.
The message is unambiguous: the withdrawal must not remain symbolic; it must be enforced.
3. NO TEACHING FROM THE BOOK
The court has categorically directed that no instruction should be imparted on the basis of either the physical or digital version of the withdrawn textbook.
In other words, even if a copy is accessible somewhere, teachers are not permitted to use it for classroom teaching. This ensures the content does not continue to circulate indirectly.
4. BLANKET BAN ON PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION
As an “abundant caution”, the court has imposed a blanket ban on the production and distribution of the book.
It has warned that any attempt to distribute the textbook — physically or digitally — would be treated as a wilful breach of the court’s order. This raises the stakes significantly, as violation could invite serious legal consequences.
5. NAMES, MINUTES AND SHOW CAUSE NOTICE
The court has directed the NCERT Director to furnish the names and credentials of members of the National Syllabi Board involved in drafting the chapter in question.
It has also sought the original minutes of the meetings where the chapter was deliberated and finalised. These are to be produced at the next hearing.
Further, a show cause notice has been issued to the Secretary of the Department of School Education and to the NCERT Director, asking why action, including under the Contempt of Courts Act or other laws, should not be initiated against them or those responsible for the “offending” chapter.
Together, these directions mark one of the strongest judicial interventions in a school textbook matter in recent years. What began as a curriculum controversy has now escalated into a case involving compliance deadlines, personal accountability and potential contempt proceedings.
