In a recent hearing, the Supreme Court of India took suo motu notice of a chapter on 'corruption in the judiciary' included in an NCERT class 8 textbook. Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who was replaced in this hearing by Chief Justice Suryakant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and M. Pancholi, expressed strong disapproval, likening the act to firing the first shot at the judiciary. He emphasized that portraying the judiciary as corrupt could severely mislead students and impact society negatively.

Chief Justice Suryakant raised concerns about the timing and impact of this chapter being available in the public domain, questioning how effective a retraction would be if the book was already in circulation. He argued that introducing such a narrative in textbooks complicates the perception of judicial integrity among students and teachers, potentially fostering a misguided belief in widespread corruption within the judiciary.

In response, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the court that the individuals responsible for drafting the disputed chapter would not be associated with any ministry in the future. This commitment reflects the government's recognition of the sensitivity surrounding how judicial functions are represented in educational materials, especially in a country where the judiciary plays a critical role in upholding democracy and the rule of law.