Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan orders probe into delay by NCERT in case against vendor

UNion training government minister Dharmendra Pradhan has ordered a poke into and sought-after(a) litigate against the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) officials for failing to appear before the Delhi High Court on June 24 to defend its June 22 order to blacklist a paper supplier for delaying textbook production, Union education ministry officials familiar with the development said on Friday.The administrative lapse by NCERT resulted in interim relief for the company challenging the council’s order. The matter will next be heard on July 20.A Union education ministry spokesperson told HT that Pradhan’s intervention in the matter is part of the ministry’s “reinforcement of zero-tolerance approach towards administrative and legal lapses.” However, the spokesperson did not explain why NCERT failed to appear before the court or identify the officials responsible for the lapse.The ministry has asked NCERT to examine multiple aspects of the case, including how the Pune-based Bafna Global Venture Private Limited was awarded the contract of printing Maplitho Paper supply for academic year 2026-27 on December 1 despite allegedly not meeting conditions of the tender floated on October 28, why it failed to adhere to the agreed supply schedule by March 1, and why no representative appeared before the Delhi High Court to defend the council’s June 22 decision, officials aware of the matter said.Bafna Global Venture Pvt Ltd had approached the Delhi High Court on June 24 challenging NCERT’s June 22 order terminating its contract, debarring it from participating in NCERT procurements for two years and directing invocation of a ₹6.09 crore bank guarantee furnished by the company for getting the contract.However, when the matter came up before Justice Mini Pushkarna, no one appeared on behalf of NCERT despite advance notice. Taking note of the submissions made by the petitioner, the court directed that no coercive action be taken against the company under the June 22 order until the next hearing on July 20. It also restrained NCERT from invoking the ₹6.09 crore bank guarantee in the interim.In its petition, the company argued that delays in paper production were caused by the unavailability of hydrogen peroxide — a bleaching agent used in paper manufacturing — due to disruptions linked to the US-Iran conflict. It also contended that blacklisting should not ordinarily follow a contractual dispute where a bona fide disagreement exists.“Taking serious note of reports that NCERT failed to effectively defend its decision to blacklist a paper supplier before the Delhi High Court, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has directed strict action against the officers responsible for the lapse,” an official familiar with the development said.The minister has ordered that accountability be fixed for officials who failed to take the necessary legal steps, the official added.Neither NCERT nor Bafna responded to HT’s queries seeking comment.