Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, reacting to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbook row, directed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to find out who is responsible for drafting the controversial portion of the social science textbook.
According to reports, Modi, while taking up the issue in a cabinet meeting questioned, "Who is monitoring it? "Someone has to be held accountable".
Earlier today, the Supreme Court banned the release of the Social Science textbook. The chapter, ‘The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society’, highlighted key challenges facing India's judicial system, which included a massive backlog of cases and a shortage of judges.
The NCERT is ascertaining the process of making textbooks which led to the error in judgment about inclusion of a chapter on "judicial corruption", sources said.
The Council is also identifying the persons responsible for inclusion of the text.
"The NCERT is ascertaining the process of making textbooks which has led to this error of judgement and also identify the persons responsible for the same. This would also ensure that this kind of inappropriateness is completely avoided in future. This shall be done with utmost strictness," a source said.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, expressed anguish over the NCERT's chapter on judicial corruption. He promised to fix accountability and take action against those involved.
Earlier in the day, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed anguish over the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) coming up with a chapter on judicial corruption in its Class 8 textbook, while promising to fix accountability and take action against those involved in drafting the controversial portion.
Supreme Court observed that there appeared to be a "well-orchestrated conspiracy" to defame the judiciary.
SC also imposed a "complete blanket ban" on the Class 8 NCERT book and ordered that all copies, physical and digital, be seized.
After stern words by the Supreme Court that it will not allow "anyone on earth" to tarnish the judiciary's integrity, the NCERT pulled the textbook from its website, with sources saying the government was livid with the controversial references in the curriculum.
The NCERT on Wednesday also apologised for "inappropriate content" after facing the Supreme Court's ire over the chapter and said the book will be rewritten in consultation with appropriate authorities.
(With inputs from PTI)