In the three days since NCERT halted the sale of the Class 8 social science textbook and initiated efforts to retrieve distributed copies, 31 of the 38 sold books have been recovered, according to sources in the Education Ministry.
The textbook – ‘Exploring Society: India and Beyond’ Part 2 – was released on Monday for use in the current academic session but was withdrawn from sale the following day. A chapter discussing the role of the judiciary included a section titled “Corruption in the Judiciary,” which drew objections. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressing strong displeasure and stating that he “will not allow anyone to defame the institution.”
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered a “complete blanket ban” on any further publication, reprinting, or digital circulation of the book. In its directive, the court stated that the NCERT director and the principals of schools where the book had reached would be personally accountable for ensuring the immediate seizure and sealing of all copies on their premises, along with the submission of a compliance report.
Following the suspension of the book’s sale on Tuesday, staff at NCERT’s publication division and its campus book counter in Delhi have been contacting all 38 purchasers to request the return of the copies.
An advisory issued on Friday by NCERT Secretary Himanshu Gupta urged all individuals who had purchased the book to return their copies without delay.
The advisory directed “any individual or organization in possession of the NCERT textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science Grade 8 Part 2, or any related material” to return it to the Head of the Department of Education in Social Sciences (DESS) or the Publication Division, NCERT, at the earliest.
Referring to the court’s order imposing a ban and noting that the book has been formally withdrawn, the advisory further requested that any content from the chapter “Role of Judiciary in Our Society” shared on social media or digital platforms be removed promptly. It also reiterated that anyone who had purchased the textbook from any source should return it to NCERT immediately.