In a sharp reaction to the controversy over a Class 8 NCERT textbook chapter on “Corruption in Judiciary”, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday (February 25) termed the inclusion a “calculated and deep-rooted attack” on the judicial institution. He made it clear that the Supreme Court would not allow anyone to defame or cast aspersions on the integrity of the judiciary.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the issue, the CJI said he had been flooded with calls and messages, including from High Court judges, expressing concern over the revised textbook content. “I’m receiving a lot of calls and messages about this, even from judges of the High Courts,” he remarked in open court, underlining the level of unease within the institution.
The matter was brought to the court’s attention by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who told the Bench that senior members of the Bar were deeply disturbed by the reference to “judicial corruption” in a Class 8 Social Science textbook published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). “We as senior members of this institution are very disturbed that ‘judicial corruption’ finds mention in Class 8 books,” Sibal submitted.
Responding firmly, the CJI said the apex court would not hesitate to act. “I will not allow anyone to defame and question the integrity of the judiciary,” he stated, adding that the court would intervene regardless of how far the matter escalated. He described the development as appearing to be a targeted attempt to undermine the institution.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi also voiced concern, arguing that the textbook seemed to single out the judiciary while ignoring corruption in other arms of governance. “It gives the impression that corruption exists only in the judiciary. There is no mention of politicians, ministers or bureaucrats,” he said, calling the approach selective.
Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who was also part of the Bench, observed that the book appeared to lack emphasis on “constitutional integrity” and the basic structure doctrine, adding to the court’s criticism.
The controversy stems from a revised Class 8 Social Science textbook that, for the first time, includes a detailed discussion on corruption in the judiciary and the mounting backlog of cases in India’s justice delivery system. The chapter, titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,” reportedly refers to corruption as a serious issue affecting judicial credibility. It also highlights structural challenges such as shortage of judges, complex procedures and inadequate infrastructure.
According to the textbook, the Supreme Court has around 81,000 pending cases, High Courts together have over six million cases awaiting disposal, while lower courts face a burden of more than 40 million cases.
Although the chapter presents the issue in the context of systemic reform and improving access to justice, the strong response from the Supreme Court has turned the academic debate into a larger constitutional discussion — touching upon institutional accountability, public perception and the boundaries between civic education and criticism of constitutional bodies.