NEW DELHI: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Wednesday speedily moved to drop references of “corruption at various levels of the judiciary” from its new Class VIII social science textbook after drawing fire from the Supreme Court over what a bench led by CJI Surya Kant called a “deep-rooted conspiracy to defame” the judiciary.In a late-night development, the board said it has put on hold the distribution of the newly released textbook after “inappropriate textual material and error of judgement” were noticed in the chapter on the judiciary. It said the issue was flagged both internally and by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the education ministry.“Judges of the constitutional and district courts are perturbed by this. I have taken suo motu cognisance of the issue. I will not allow anyone on earth to defame the institution or taint its integrity. Whosoever and however high it may be, I know how to deal with it,” a visibly upset CJI told senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Mukul Rohatgi, who flagged the issue at the commencement of judicial work at 10.30am. The advocates told the bench of CJI Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi that teaching students of impressionable mind about corruption in judiciary will bring the institution to disrepute and requested the apex court to take cognisance of the matter.The suo motu case has been listed for hearing on Thursday.

I have been receiving hundreds of calls and messages from citizens, judges and judicial officers expressing serious concern,” said CJI Surya Kant.Facing fire from the judiciary, sources in govt were contrite. “The controversial section should not have been written,” said one of them, adding that textbooks should focus on “inspirational aspects” rather than highlight institutional shortcomings in isolation. The inclusion was “inappropriate” and should not have found its way into a school curriculum, sources said of the book, which, as per protocol, must have gone through layers of vetting before being cleared for publishing.Justice Bagchi referred to the basic structure doctrine and said “constitutional integrity to the basic structure is missing in the structure of the textbook”.Sibal said the textbook could have devoted the chapter to working of the judiciary, educated children about the challenges faced by it in deciding cases, and narrated how the institution has largely enjoyed public faith and confidence.Flagging what he called selective targeting of the judiciary, Singhvi said there is no mention of corruption elsewhere, in politics, bureaucracy or business in the textbook. “Is it a presumption that there is no corruption there? We know the state of affairs in politics, bureaucracy and business,” he said, leading the CJI to suspect a “deep-rooted conspiracy” to malign the judiciary.NCERT has called an internal meeting to review the chapter in the social science textbook titled ‘Exploring Society: India and Beyond’. The e-version of the book was pulled down from the council’s website, though several copies have been downloaded. NCERT director Dinesh Prasad Saklani did not respond to calls, while another senior official declined to comment, citing the matter as sub judice.

NEW DELHI: Describing BSNL’s lavish arrangements for director Vivek Banzal’s now called-off trip to Prayagraj “improper and absurd”, communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Wednesday said that “appropriate action” will be taken against the senior executive of the state-run company. “I have made it very clear that this is improper and a violation of all the established rules and traditions. It is completely unacceptable in 21st century. It is completely absurd and shocking. A show-cause notice has already been issued to the director with a seven-day response period,” the minister told reporters. The lavish, four-page instructions detailing snan kits, personal toiletries, undergarments and other comforts, including a retinue of nearly 50 officials to attend to to Banzal and a chief general manager, had sparked concern over misuse of official resources. We will take strictest possible action, says BSNL official Showcause notices have been issued to Banzal, a telecom service officer, and two executives – Brijendra Singh, principal GM, and Jogeshwar Verma, DGM, – who were posted in Prayagraj have been transferred. Verma, who was part of Singh’s office, had issued the instructions.“We will take strictest possible action. We don’t want any distraction from BSNL’s focus on improving customer service and network improvement,” said an official.Banzal had planned a two-day trip to Prayagraj, starting Wednesday, and BSNL had deputed a posse of executives to receive him and take care of arrangements, which included a bath in Ganga. The instructions, running into four pages, asked the PSU staff to arrange for eight sets of “snan” or bath kits for men and women, including towels, undergarments, slippers, combs, mirrors, soap, shampoo, and oil, along with a bed sheet.The office order, which went viral on social media, also asked officials to make arrangements at a hotel and circuit house, which included dry fruits, fruit bowls, towels, toiletries, and shaving kits for the director, and other guests. Nearly 50 officials were to be deployed to attend to Banzal and a chief general manager.Following uproar, the telecom service officer called off the trip, which also included visits to temples and some meetings.According to the BSNL website, Banzal’s “never say rest” attitude and constant innovation have helped drive growth in the fixed-line business. Since 2016, he has been promoting and managing Bharat Fiber, BSNL IT framework and other services. “His vision has led to the digitization of processes and the introduction of innovative solutions for customers,” the website said about the executive who holds a master’s degree in computer science apart from an MBA degree.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, “These 365 days were the days that changed the course of Delhi, and the coming 4 years will change the condition of Delhi. Taking new decisions in the interest of the people of Delhi and carrying out development works in Delhi is our daily routine. On completion of one year, I congratulate the people of Delhi.”

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday released the one-year report card of her government, highlighting achievements across various sectors as the BJP-led administration completed its first year in office.Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, “These 365 days were the days that changed the course of Delhi, and the coming 4 years will change the condition of Delhi. Taking new decisions in the interest of the people of Delhi and carrying out development works in Delhi is our daily routine. On completion of one year, I congratulate the people of Delhi.”Rekha Gupta elaborated on her government’s performance, stating, “Today’s report card reflects the facts of our one year of hard work and change. This government is not a government of promises, but of results. This government is not a government of announcements, but of action.”She added, “In one year, we have tried to take Delhi from stagnation to progress. We tried to take it from excuses to solutions, from advertisements to development. With every step we took, the government focused on less paperwork and more work. I can say that the government in Delhi today does not engage in poster politics, does not engage in tweet politics. We have transformed Delhi’s work culture. We offer solutions, unlike previous governments, who used to make noise.“The CM further asserted, “Today, as we complete one year, I can confidently say to the people of Delhi that we have worked across every sector to bring about positive change in Delhi.”Speaking on the education sector, Rekha Gupta said, “The previous govt spoke a lot about education, but the public knows the reality. They spent more money on publicity than on infrastructure. Today, the govt took a daring step of passing the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, which showed the way on how we can stop education from becoming a business. We want every school to have smart classrooms and digital libraries.“

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, on Wednesday, met the group of women from Arunachal Pradesh who were subjected to racial discrimination and derogatory remarks and assured strict action against those involved in the act.In a post on X, Gupta reiterated that Delhi is a city of diversity and that there is no place for hatred, as she wrote, “Today, I met our young friends from the North East who were affected by the recent distressing incident in Delhi. They are resilient, courageous, and full of promise. I have assured them of my full support during this difficult time.”She further promised strict actions against the racist miscreants, stating, “I want to make it clear that Delhi is a city of diversity, respect, and mutual dignity. Strictest action will be taken against the miscreants involved in this incident. There is absolutely no place for hatred, discrimination, intimidation, or racial abuse in Delhi. Such behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.“Further highlighting the sensitivity of the matter, she urged not to politicise the incident and said that the dignity, privacy, and future of the students should remain the priority.She wrote, “I urge everyone not to politicise this sensitive matter. The dignity, safety, and future of our young students must remain above all else. I also request that all concerned respect the privacy of the young students and their families. We must give them the space, support, and assurance they need during this time.”Earlier in a video address announcing her meeting with the students, Gupta had stated that she intends to engage with the broader Northeast community in Delhi to address systemic issues and ensure their safety through potential policy interventions.“I will meet not only those sisters but also other residents from the Northeast to listen to their problems and provide solutions. If any policy changes are required, we will implement them. For any problems or suggestions, you can DM me directly,” Gupta said.Her meeting with the northeastern citizens came after three women from Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly subject to racial abuse and criminal intimidation in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area. Delhi Police on Wednesday said that the accused Ruby Jain and her husband, Harsh, have been arrested in connection with the matter.Delhi Police stated that, during the course of the investigation, relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were invoked based on the material available on record.

NEW DELHI: Delhi is poised to position itself as a global hub of cinema, art and culture with the national capital set to host an international film festival from March 25 to 31, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Wednesday.At the curtain-raiser of the International Film Festival Delhi (IFFD) 2026 at the Delhi Secretariat, the chief minister said the movie gala will mark a significant step towards positioning Delhi as a global cultural and cinematic destination. Gupta said the festival would go beyond film screenings and celebrate Delhi’s creative energy, cultural heritage and contemporary outlook.Designed as a public, city-wide festival, the festival aims to bring world cinema closer to ordinary citizens while offering local filmmakers and technicians an international platform for exchange and collaboration.The festival will be held at multiple prominent venues across New Delhi, including Bharat Mandapam.The chief minister said the initiative is aligned with the Delhi government’s film policy, which focuses on single-window clearances, production support and industry partnerships to make the city an attractive destination for film shoots.She added that the festival is expected to boost film tourism, talent development, creative industries and employment generation.According to a statement, more than 125 Indian and international films will be screened during the seven-day event, along with gala premieres, masterclasses, industry interactions, workshops and cultural performances.The festival is being organised by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation and is envisioned as a long-term cultural project to establish Delhi as a global film hub.Delhi tourism minister Kapil Mishra said the city is emerging as a “creative capital” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi CM Gupta.The government has also planned cultural evenings and live performances at the festival to give it a broader public and celebratory character.