A fresh version of the Class 8 Social Science book Exploring Society: India and Beyond – Part II of NCERT has come up with a new design for its cover and a new chapter on the judiciary.

In the new cover design, the Supreme Court forms the dominant image, placed prominently at the top of the image, with Parliament being placed across the lower part of the image. Earlier, both the bodies were shown with more or less equal prominence along with monuments and portraits of great men of India.

Portraits of Freedom Movement Leaders Omitted

The redesigned cover omits the portraits of some leaders of India’s freedom movement who were present in the previous version of the cover. This includes Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu, Savitribai Phule, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sri Aurobindo, and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay.

There have been changes in architectural images as well. The Konark Sun Temple is retained while the Taj Mahal and modern skyscrapers are omitted. India Gate has been added to the new design.

Reworked Judiciary Chapter Post Withdrawal of Previous Textbook

The revised version of the textbook has been released about four months after the previous edition was withdrawn in wake of a controversy surrounding the chapter on judiciary. This came after the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of a chapter named “Corruption in the Judiciary”, after which the book was withdrawn in print as well as online format.

An apology followed by NCERT and the chapter was subsequently reworked.

Role and Justice Become Central

The new chapter on the judiciary deletes content on corruption within the judiciary, court backlog, and significant Supreme Court cases. Instead, greater attention is given to the constitutional role of the Supreme Court, public interest litigation, tribunals, and dispute resolution.

Similarly, the “Big Questions” section at the beginning of the chapter has been altered. Instead of questioning the importance of an independent judiciary, the focus shifts to examining why justice is important to “a just and harmonious society.

A New Visual and Academic Framing

Taken together, the redesigned cover and rewritten chapter mark a clear shift in the textbook’s framing of India’s judicial system. The revised edition foregrounds constitutional institutions—particularly the Supreme Court—while reducing the earlier cover’s emphasis on freedom movement icons, architectural heritage and modern development.