The Hindu Editorial Analysis : 28th February 2026

The Hindu Editorial Analysis

We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.

Supreme Court Prohibits Textbook, Directs Confiscation of All Copies

• The Supreme Court on Thursday said that there appeared to be a “deep-rooted conspiracy” behind a “very planned and careful attempt” to show the judiciary as a corrupt institution in a Class 8 social science textbook. The book had made selected references about “corruption” in a way the court found objectionable.
• The court ordered a “complete and total ban” on the textbook and directed that all copies — both printed and digital — must be immediately seized and sealed.
• The textbook was published in February by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which is an autonomous body working under the Ministry of Education.
• A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant was hearing the matter on its own (suo motu). The Bench described the content as “reckless, irresponsible, motivated and disrespectful.”
• The judges said that the way the judiciary was shown in the book was meant to create bias in the minds of young and impressionable schoolchildren, and through them, influence society and even future generations.
• The Bench strongly stated that “heads must roll” and started contempt proceedings in the case.
• Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central government, said, “All of us are holding our heads in shame,” and gave an unconditional apology to the court.
• However, Chief Justice Kant made it clear that the court would not close the matter just because the government or NCERT had apologised.
• He called the issue a “well-planned and organised move” and said he wanted a detailed investigation.
• He told the Union government that as head of the judiciary it was his duty to find out who was responsible. He said that if more than one person was involved, “heads must roll,” and he would not end the case until he was satisfied.
• Mehta told the court that the people involved in preparing the textbook would never again be given such work by the Education Ministry.
• He also said that, in his personal view, they should not be given work in any other Ministry either.
• While starting contempt proceedings, the court issued show cause notices to the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, and to the NCERT Director, Dinesh Prasad Saklani.
• The court said that the Director had “defended” the “offensive content” even after the Supreme Court Secretary General had asked for an explanation on the instructions of Chief Justice Kant.
• Chief Justice Kant told the government’s lawyer, “They fired the gun and the judiciary is bleeding today.”
• The court observed that, at first look (prima facie), the contents of the book and the Director’s response seemed to be a deliberate attempt to weaken the authority and dignity of the judiciary.
• In its order, the Bench said that the publication had “erased in one stroke” the great history of the Supreme Court and the High Courts, and ignored their major contributions in protecting democracy.
• The court noted that the book did not mention the important role of the judiciary in protecting constitutional morality and the basic structure doctrine, which the court described as the lifeline of Indian democracy.
• It also said that the book failed to talk about the major reforms taken to improve legal aid and make justice more accessible to people.
• The judges called this silence especially serious, particularly when many high-ranking officials had been punished by the Supreme Court in the past for corruption and wrongdoing.
• Senior lawyers like Kapil Sibal, M. Singhvi, and Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh agreed that the content appeared to be “clearly deliberate.”
• The court said the book’s influence would not stay limited to students. It would spread from teacher to student, to parents, and across society, even affecting future generations.
• The judges warned that such content could harm judicial independence.
• The Bench said that this kind of action could amount to criminal contempt, and if it was proven that it was done deliberately, it would mean scandalising the judiciary and damaging its reputation.
• The court clarified that starting the case on its own (suo motu) should not be seen as stopping fair and genuine criticism of public institutions, including the judiciary.

India’s security concerns are closely tied to peace and stability in West Asia, says Narendra Modi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Israel on Thursday that India’s security is directly connected to peace and stability in West Asia.
• He said that India has always supported dialogue and peaceful solutions to reduce tensions in the region.
• After talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Mr. Modi said that both countries agreed to work closely on the India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the I2U2 Group (India-Israel-UAE-USA)
• Speaking about rising tensions in the Gulf region due to problems between Iran and the Israel-U.S. side, Mr. Modi said that peace in West Asia is directly linked to India’s security.
• He said India has supported peaceful talks from the beginning and described this stand as the voice of the Global South and of humanity.
• On terrorism, Mr. Modi clearly said that terrorism has no place anywhere in the world and cannot be accepted in any form.
• During a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the tensions between Iran and the U.S. were discussed during the meeting.
• He said the Prime Minister repeated India’s strong belief in dialogue and peaceful solutions, and offered India’s support in any way possible to help bring peace.
• The External Affairs Ministry said that both leaders discussed cooperation in many areas.
• Several agreements (MoUs) were signed, including one on geophysical exploration, to improve cooperation in mineral exploration using advanced technology and artificial intelligence, while promoting sustainable development.
• Modi said that India and Israel would move forward strongly on the IMEC and I2U2 projects, which aim to improve connectivity, digital systems, and food production cooperation.
• When asked about regional tensions affecting IMEC, Mr. Misri said that the situation does have some impact.
• However, he added that some countries are still working independently to move different parts of the project forward.
• His answer came in response to a question about how Israel’s stalled relations with Saudi Arabia over Palestinian statehood might affect IMEC.
• At the end of the visit, both countries issued a joint statement calling their relationship a “special strategic partnership.”
• The statement welcomed progress on trade agreement talks and said both leaders had told their teams to prepare for the early signing of a Free Trade Agreement.
• During the visit, Mr. Modi also visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Updates Air Ticket Refund Rules, Extends Cancellation Period to 48 Hours

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday changed the rules related to air ticket refunds.
• It extended the free cancellation and modification period from 24 hours to 48 hours after booking.
• Passengers can now get a full refund if they cancel their journey due to their own medical emergency or that of a co-traveller.
• Under the new rules, airlines must provide a “look-in option” for 48 hours after booking, during which passengers can cancel or change their tickets without paying extra charges.
• However, if the ticket price changes during those 48 hours, the passenger will have to pay the difference.
• These rules apply only to tickets booked directly on the airline’s website.
• To get this benefit, the ticket must be booked at least seven days before departure for domestic flights and 15 days before departure for international flights.
• The DGCA has clearly said that airlines are fully responsible for giving refunds, even if the ticket was booked through travel agents or third-party websites.
• Although the DGCA does not directly control booking portals and does not force them to give similar benefits, portals are expected to follow these rules to avoid losing customers.
• According to the new clarification, if a ticket is booked through a travel agent, the airline is responsible for the refund, because agents act on behalf of airlines.
• This clarification is important because in the past, when airlines like Go First and Jet Airways stopped operations, many passengers’ refunds were stuck with travel agents.
• Agents had said they could not refund money because they had already transferred payments to the airlines.
• Under the new rules, if cancellation is due to a medical emergency, passengers can choose either a cash refund or a credit shell (refund coupon).
• If the passenger or a family member on the same PNR is admitted to hospital during the travel period, the airline may give either a refund or a credit shell.
• For other medical reasons, refunds will be processed only after the airline’s doctor or a DGCA-approved medical expert checks the fitness-to-travel certificate and gives an opinion.
• The earlier rule allowing free name change within 24 hours of booking will continue.
• These new rules were finalised after the DGCA released a draft on October 31, 2025, and asked for suggestions from industry members before making the final decision.

Important Questions

1. Why did the Supreme Court observe a “deep-rooted conspiracy” and a “very, very calculated move” behind the portrayal of the judiciary as a venal institution in the Class 8 social science textbook?
2. On what basis did the three-judge Bench initiate contempt proceedings, order a “blanket and complete” ban, and issue show cause notices to the NCERT Director and the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy?
3. Why did Narendra Modi state that India’s security interests are directly connected to peace and stability in the West Asian region during talks in Jerusalem?
4. How can rising tensions between Iran and the Israel-U.S. coalition affect implementation of the India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the I2U2 Group projects?
5. What is the meaning and purpose of the “look-in option” for 48 hours after ticket booking introduced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation?
6. Under which conditions of medical emergency are flight passengers entitled to a full refund, cash refund, or credit shell according to the revised norms?

Important Vocabulary

1. Venal – Open to bribery or corruption.
2. Contemptuous – Showing disrespect or lack of regard.
3. Egregious – Extremely bad or shocking.
4. Scandalising – Causing damage to reputation by making serious allegations.
5. Reaffirmed – Confirmed again strongly.
6. Coalition – A group joined together for a common purpose.
7. Initiatives – New plans or actions taken to achieve something.
8. Prevailing – Existing or continuing at a particular time.
9. Norms – Official rules or standards.
10. Interim – Temporary period between two stages.
11. Empanelled – Officially selected for a specific purpose.
12. Remitted – Sent or transferred money.

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