NCERT revamps curriculum panel after supreme court rap over class 8 Textbook

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has reconstituted its key curriculum committee following criticism from the Supreme Court of India over content in a now-withdrawn Class 8 Social Science textbook.

The move comes after the apex court took suo motu cognisance of a chapter titled “Corruption in Judiciary,” raising concerns over how the institution was portrayed to students. The court subsequently imposed a blanket ban on the use of the textbook in both physical and digital formats.

In response, NCERT has restructured the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC) , reducing its strength from 22 to 20 members. Three members Michel Danino, M D Srinivas, and the late Bibek Debroy have been removed in line with the court’s directions.

The reconstituted panel includes prominent academics such as V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras; Raghuvendra Tanwar, Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research; and R Venkata Rao, former Vice-Chancellor of the National Law School of India University, among others.

Officials said the revision was undertaken to “strengthen” the committee through necessary updates.

The NSTC is a high-powered body responsible for developing school syllabi and teaching-learning materials for Classes 3 to 12. It also has the mandate to revise textbooks for lower classes to ensure continuity in learning.

The development underscores increased judicial scrutiny of educational content, particularly when it involves sensitive constitutional institutions, and signals efforts to reinforce credibility and balance in school curricula.