NCERT controversy

The text of the Class VIII Civics book on corruption in judiciary makes no sense other than nonsense. It should not have been allowed to be published in the first place, but if it did get published injudiciously, the action taken after displeasure of the Hon’ SC could and ought to have been taken before the matter drew attention of the court. But a thorough vetting of every textbook is needed BECAUSE preparing textbooks is no child’s play. It is possible to do so provided the chief supervising the contents and language pays total attention to it. Leave it to others, and the product can prove toxic. There are appropriate fora to raise the contentious issue, parliament being one. Judicial reforms are overdue. Apply IA in a big way and pendency will come down drastically, example: the litigant need not be told after years and hundreds of hearings that the case is not maintainable or some such other excuse. This is not the time to issue testimonials, but textbook is certainly not the forum.

M L Gupta