What is the common examiner trap about Polity in UPSC exams?

They may ask a factual question about who published the 2023 handbook, tempting you to choose 'Supreme Court' or 'Law Commission'. The correct entity is the 'Supreme Court's Centre for Research and Planning' under the initiative of the then CJI. Another trap could be swapping the roles of the NJA Director and the committee chairperson.

What should UPSC aspirants remember about Polity for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: Year of the 2023 handbook publication and the date of the 2026 order (February 10). 2. Target this Nodal Body: The National Judicial Academy (NJA) and its Director (Justice Aniruddha Bose). 3. Target this Legal Point: The judicial process of framing guidelines (administrative side) versus delivering judgments (judicial side).

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Supreme Court Directs NJA to Frame New Guidelines on Gender Stereotypes, Scrutinizes 2023 Handbook Under CJI Chandrachud

Q: Who was appointed as the Director of the National Judicial Academy (NJA) to constitute the expert committee as per the Supreme Court order?

Justice Aniruddha Bose, The Supreme Court order dated February 10 urged the Director of the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal, Justice Aniruddha Bose, a former Supreme Court judge, to constitute the committee. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud was the former CJI under whom the 2023 handbook was published. Justices Bagchi and Bhattacharya are other judges mentioned in the article but not the NJA Director.

Q: Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's recent order and the 2023 handbook: 1. The Supreme Court order dated February 10, 2026 was passed by a bench comprising the CJI and two other judges. 2. The 2023 'Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes' was published by the Law Commission of India. 3. The handbook stated that sexual violence has historically been used as a tool to reinforce caste hierarchies. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct: The order was passed by a three-judge bench of CJI Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria. Statement 2 is incorrect: The handbook was published under the initiative of then CJI D.Y. Chandrachud by the Supreme Court's Centre for Research and Planning, not the Law Commission. Statement 3 is correct: As per the article, the handbook explains that 'dominant caste men have historically used sexual violence as a tool to reinforce and maintain caste hierarchies'.

Q: In which year was the 'Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes', which is under review, originally published?

2023, The article clearly states that the earlier attempt led to the publication in 2023 of the 'Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes' under the initiative of the then Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud. The other options are distractors close to the correct year.

Q: What was a primary reason cited by the Supreme Court for seeking new guidelines, as mentioned in the article?

To make guidelines easily understandable by laypersons, The February 10 order indicated the 2023 handbook includes language that may not be comprehensible to the common man. The Court explicitly stated that the new guidelines must be 'devised in a manner so that they may be understood and utilised easily... in simple language comprehensible to laypersons'. The other options, while related to judicial efficiency, are not the core reason mentioned in the article.

Polity Social IssuesHIGH

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims MediumMains HighStatic GK Link

08 Mar 2026

~2 min

Source: Indian Express

Key Data:February 10, 20262023

Bodies:Supreme Court of IndiaNational Judicial Academy (NJA)

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~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.Supreme Court bench (CJI Surya Kant, Justices Bagchi and Anjaria) orders NJA Director Justice Aniruddha Bose to form an expert committee for fresh guidelines on judicial sensitivity in sexual offence cases.

2.The order cites concerns that the 2023 handbook, published under former CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, contains language not comprehensible to the common man and content some judges felt 'reinforces prejudices'.

3.A contentious example from the handbook is its assertion that 'dominant caste men have historically used sexual violence as a tool to reinforce and maintain caste hierarchies', which some judges viewed as a 'generalised and sweeping statement'.

The Big Picture

Prelims · MediumMains · High

The Supreme Court has directed the National Judicial Academy to constitute a committee to draft new guidelines for judges on gender sensitivity in sexual offence cases, citing concerns over the 2023 'Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes'. This move follows internal unease over the handbook's language and content, particularly its statements linking sexual violence to caste hierarchies.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Date of SC OrderFebruary 10, 2026

SC BenchCJI Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria

Handbook Published2023 under CJI D.Y. Chandrachud

NJA DirectorJustice Aniruddha Bose

1-Minute Revision

›Date of SC Order: February 10, 2026
›SC Bench: CJI Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria
›Target this Data: Year of the 2023 handbook publication and the date of the 2026 order (February 10).
›Target this Nodal Body: The National Judicial Academy (NJA) and its Director (Justice Aniruddha Bose).
›Target this Legal Point: The judicial process of framing guidelines (administrative side) versus delivering judgments (judicial side).

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News Snapshot

⚖️

Judicial Re-evaluation

The Supreme Court initiates a fresh process to create guidelines for judicial sensitivity, moving beyond the 2023 handbook.

📚

Handbook Controversy

The 2023 'Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes' faced internal criticism for its language and content on caste and sexual violence.

👥

Process Flaw Highlighted

Sources indicate discontent over the handbook not being placed before the full court for broader discussion before publication.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

The Supreme Court has historically taken administrative steps to sensitize the judiciary. In 2023, under then CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, the 'Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes' was published by the Supreme Court's Centre for Research and Planning, with inputs from the Social Justice Sub-Committee of the e-Committee. It aimed to help judges identify and avoid gender-unjust language and stereotypes in legal proceedings.

Core Analysis & Implications

The February 2026 order reveals a significant judicial introspection. The Court acknowledges past efforts have 'not borne the fruit that was expected'. The concerns are two-fold: procedural (lack of broader consultation with all judges) and substantive (content perceived as reinforcing prejudices). The specific criticism of the handbook's linkage of caste dominance to sexual violence as a 'tool of social control' touches upon a deeply sensitive socio-legal issue, highlighting the challenge of balancing judicial education with avoiding broad generalizations.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

The new committee, led by NJA Director Justice Aniruddha Bose, is tasked with studying past attempts and drafting new guidelines. The Court mandates these guidelines be in 'simple language comprehensible to laypersons', 'contextualised in the real and lived experience of the stakeholders in the Indian judicial process', and avoid 'heavy, complicated expressions borne from foreign languages'. Crucially, the final draft will be placed before the full court for views, addressing the earlier procedural gap.

Key Facts at a Glance

Date of SC OrderFebruary 10, 2026

SC BenchCJI Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria

Handbook Published2023 under CJI D.Y. Chandrachud

NJA DirectorJustice Aniruddha Bose

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Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, MPSC, SSC

Who was appointed as the Director of the National Judicial Academy (NJA) to constitute the expert committee as per the Supreme Court order?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC, MPSC

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's recent order and the 2023 handbook:

1. The Supreme Court order dated February 10, 2026 was passed by a bench comprising the CJI and two other judges.

2. The 2023 'Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes' was published by the Law Commission of India.

3. The handbook stated that sexual violence has historically been used as a tool to reinforce caste hierarchies.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, SSC

In which year was the 'Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes', which is under review, originally published?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC, MPSC

What was a primary reason cited by the Supreme Court for seeking new guidelines, as mentioned in the article?

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Supreme Court Directs NJA to Frame New Guidelines on Gender Stereotypes, Scrutinizes 2023 Handbook Under CJI Chandrachud

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

Judicial Re-evaluation

Handbook Controversy

Process Flaw Highlighted

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Core Analysis & Implications

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance