New Delhi, Feb. 26 -- The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has issued an apology and withdrawn the distribution of its newly released Class 8 Social Science textbook after "inappropriate textual material and error of judgement" were found in a chapter on the judiciary.

In a press statement, NCERT said that the Social Science textbook, "Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Vol II" for Class 8, was released on February 24, 2026. However, upon receiving the textbook, it was observed that certain inappropriate textual material and error of judgement had inadvertently crept into Chapter No 4, entitled "The Role of Judiciary in our Society" (pages 125-142).

The Department of School Education and Literacy (Ministry...