Supreme Court's ban on the NCERT Class 8 textbook:

On February 26, 2026, the Supreme Court of India issued an immediate ban on the reprint and digital distribution of the NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook. The court also ordered the immediate seizure of all existing physical and digital copies of the book.

Key Reasons for the Ban

Remarks on Judicial Corruption: The court took strong exception to a chapter or section titled "Corruption in the Judiciary".

"Planned Conspiracy": Chief Justice Suryakant described the content as a "calculated conspiracy" to defame the judiciary.

Criminal Contempt: The court stated that such "inappropriate behavior" which brings a permanent stain to the judiciary would be treated as criminal contempt. It argued that such content erodes public faith in the judicial system.

Specific Directives from the Court Seizure of Copies: NCERT, along with central and state education departments, must coordinate to seize all copies to ensure they are no longer available to the public.

Digital Ban: Any attempt to redistribute the content via digital platforms will be treated as a violation of the court's order.

Investigation: The Chief Justice emphasized that it is his duty to identify those responsible for this "conspiracy," calling for a comprehensive investigation and accountability for those involved.

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