The NCERT has disturbed the highest court of India, and its credibility stands bruised. Anger and anguish have been expressed in no uncertain terms by the Supreme Court of India over a section on corruption in the judiciary. One is shocked and disturbed by all that has followed media reports on a certain chapter in a Class VIII Social Science textbook.

On a broader canvas, the institutional relationship between these bodies deserves to be examined to ensure higher levels of professional competence and the delivery of justice to all — whether an individual, an institution, or an organisation. Public institutions are expected to be mutually supportive in their pursuit of excellence. Institutional credibility is a consequence of the competence, commitment, and contributions of its internal professionals.

The SC enjoys the trust and confidence of every Indian. There are other institutions that also make Indians proud. The NCERT is one of them, an institution that I served for three decades as a professor, including five years as its director. The NCERT is an autonomous body created and funded by the Government of India. It nurtures the future of India and attempts........

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