New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has included a section on “corruption in the judiciary” in the newly released Class 8 Social Science textbook. The chapter, titled “The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society,” also highlights challenges such as massive case backlogs, procedural delays, and insufficient infrastructure.

The textbook lists the approximate number of pending cases across courts: 81,000 in the Supreme Court, 6,240,000 in High Courts, and 47 million in District and Subordinate Courts. While the earlier edition focused on the structure of courts, the concept of an independent judiciary, and access to justice, it did not address corruption directly.

The new section emphasises that judges are bound by a code of conduct both inside and outside the courtroom. It references the judiciary’s internal accountability mechanisms and the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), which received over 1,600 complaints between 2017 and 2021.

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It notes that serious allegations can lead to impeachment proceedings in Parliament, following a proper inquiry that allows judges to present their side. However, the book acknowledges that corruption still occurs at various levels, disproportionately affecting the poor and disadvantaged and undermining access to justice. The text stresses efforts at the State and Union levels to increase transparency and accountability, including the use of technology to address such issues swiftly.

Former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai is quoted, highlighting that instances of corruption and misconduct negatively affect public confidence but can be addressed through transparent and decisive action, which is essential to maintaining the judiciary’s constitutional role.

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The textbook also introduces students to contemporary legal debates. It asks them to discuss examples such as electoral bonds and the Information Technology Act. It explains that electoral bonds, introduced in 2018 to fund political parties anonymously, were struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. Similarly, a clause in the Information Technology Act, 2009, allowing imprisonment for certain online posts, was challenged and declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2015.

NCERT Director D P Saklani did not respond to requests for comment on the inclusion of the new section or the delay in the textbook’s release, which comes near the end of the academic session.

The update aims to provide students with a more realistic understanding of the judiciary’s functioning, its challenges, and the importance of transparency and accountability in upholding public trust.