New Delhi: A group of 51 educators has written to President Droupadi Murmu over the ban imposed on an NCERT Class 8 social science textbook, calling it a threat to academic freedom.
NCERT designs textbooks and curricula used by schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The controversy centres on a chapter titled “The role of the judiciary in our society”, which reportedly mentioned corruption within the judiciary.
Following the dispute, the Supreme Court took up the matter suo motu, criticised NCERT, and barred the textbook from being printed. The court also directed that three educators involved in preparing the lesson should not be included in any educational programmes.
In their letter—signed by educators from leading institutions such as IITs and IIMs—the group said decisions on education and curriculum should be made by academics, and described the court’s intervention as an overreach.
They urged that the ban be removed through the Union Education Ministry’s request to the Supreme Court, that only the disputed chapter be deleted, the remaining lessons be allowed for immediate online release, and that the penalties imposed on the three educators be withdrawn.
