- By Chetna Shree
- Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:57 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
NCERT Textbook Row: The NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook, which was withdrawn after the Supreme Court flagged concerns over the inclusion of a chapter on "judicial corruption", was drafted by a panel of subject experts that included a lawyer, officials said.
Speaking to the news agency ANI, officials said that there is no mandatory rule that requires such chapters to undergo independent review by the members of the legal fraternity.
This clarification comes in response to criticism that the controversial chapter titled "The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society" in the now-withdrawn Class 8 Social Science textbook had not been vetted by legal professionals before publication.
"There was a lawyer among the members who wrote that particular chapter. There was no one from the legal fraternity to review the book," an official told ANI.
When asked whether a chapter related to the judiciary must be independently vetted by the members of the legal fraternity, officials said, "That is not the process followed in preparing textbooks. There is no mandatory requirement for such independent vetting".
NCERT Textbook Row
The NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook featuring a chapter on "judicial corruption" is at the centre of controversy, with the Supreme Court on Thursday imposing a "complete blanket ban" on the book, saying that there appeared to be a "well-orchestrated conspiracy" to defame the judiciary.
As the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Thursday launched a probe to ascertain the text development process, let's take a closer look at how NCERT textbooks are prepared:
How NCERT Books Are Prepared?
1. Collaborative Development: An NCERT textbook is not prepared by a single author. Instead, they are developed through a rigorous process where multiple experts contribute their knowledge and expertise, PTI quoted NCERT officials as saying.
2. Role Of Curricular Area Group: For every subject, a Curricular Area Group (CAG) is formed, which is tasked to identify the right experts whose academic and professional experience will be beneficial for the content being prepared for students.
3. Formation of Textbook Development Committee: The CAG then sets up a Textbook Development Committee (TDC) for each subject. The committee comprises academicians, pedagogy and curriculum drafting experts, subject experts and industry experts.
4. Multi-Level Review: The draft chapters prepared by the Textbook Development Committee (TDC) go through a multi-level internal review and consultation.
5. Final Approvals: After multi-level review, the CAG and the National Syllabus and Teaching-Learning Material Committee (NSTC) give a nod, considering both factual accuracy and age-appropriateness of the content.
6. Involvement Of Industry Experts: Some industry experts are a part of each Textbook Development Committee (TDC) to get insights into specific subject areas. Government officials or authorities are occasionally consulted for guidance on certain portions. However, such consultation is not mandatory.
7. Feedback Incorporation: The NCERT textbook content is not static. Whenever substantial feedback or suggestions are received, NCERT sets up committees to examine and revise the material, ensuring continuous review and improvement.
(With Agencies Inputs)