NCERT’s new class 8 book flags ‘corruption in judiciary’, ‘massive backlog’ as key challenges

The chapter also cites former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, quoting remarks he made in July 2025.

• NCERT's new Class 8 book includes judicial corruption section
• Book cites over 4.7 crore pending cases in lower courts
• Supreme Court invalidates electoral bonds over transparency issues

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A new Class 8 social science textbook, published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), now includes a section on “corruption in the judiciary,” marking a departure from the earlier version.

According to Indian Express, “corruption at various levels of the judiciary” is listed among the key challenges facing the judicial system. It also points to the “massive backlog” of cases, attributing delays to multiple factors such as an inadequate number of judges, complex legal procedures, and poor infrastructure.

By contrast, the previous edition focused primarily on explaining the judiciary’s role, the meaning of an independent judiciary, the structure of courts, and how citizens can access them. It also made no reference to corruption. However, it did acknowledge delays in the justice system, noting that prolonged case timelines affect ordinary people. Citing the phrase “justice delayed is justice denied,” the earlier textbook highlighted the impact of extended court proceedings on access to justice.

The new textbook also quantifies the scale of the problem, citing the approximate number of pending cases across different tiers of the judiciary. It lists around 81,000 cases in the Supreme Court, about 62.4 lakh cases in the High Courts, and nearly 4.7 crore cases in District and Subordinate Courts — underscoring the magnitude of the backlog highlighted in the chapter.

According to the section on “corruption in the judiciary”, judges are bound by a code of conduct that regulates not only their behaviour in court but also their conduct outside it.

The IE report stated that the book says the judiciary has internal mechanisms in place to ensure accountability and refers to an “established procedure for receiving complaints through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)”.

The text adds that more than 1,600 complaints were received through this system between 2017 and 2021, highlighting the formal avenues available for raising concerns.

“In cases where the allegations are serious, the Parliament can take action and remove a judge by passing a motion of impeachment. Such a motion is considered only after a proper inquiry, during which the judge is given a fair opportunity to present their side of the case,” the book states quoted by IE.

The chapter also cites former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, quoting remarks he made in July 2025.

He had acknowledged that there have been instances of corruption and misconduct within the judiciary, noting that such episodes inevitably dent public confidence and can erode faith in the system’s integrity.

Section on electoral bond

Following a section titled “Why is an independent judiciary needed for justice?”, the book asks students to discuss two examples — electoral bonds and the Information Technology Act.

On electoral bonds, it explains that in 2018 the government introduced the scheme to enable political parties to raise funds, allowing individuals and corporations to donate anonymously. Issued by banks, the bonds could be redeemed only by registered political parties that meet specified criteria.

The text also says that the Supreme Court later struck down the provision as unconstitutional, holding that voters have a right to know who is funding political parties, and underscoring the judiciary’s role in safeguarding transparency and democratic accountability.