Moral, physical edu compulsory subjects in UP Board

Allahabad, Aug 30 (UNI) Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Board of High School and Intermediate to recognise moral and physical education as compulsory subjects.

Justice S N Srivastava also said the Board shall consider the matter relating to reaching of moral education as compulsory subject in which fundamental duties contained in the constitution should be taught to every student.

Fixing September 18 for next hearing, the court observed the board may take effective steps for introducing the subjects by referring the matter to the statutory committee and work out modalities in light of article 51 of the constitution.

The court also orderd to comply with the apex court directions passed in a PIL case of M C Mehta vs Union of India decided in 1998 regarding environment in which the apex court had directed all Indian educational institutions to give weekly lessons in the first 10 classes, relating to the protection and improvement of natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife.

The order has been passed on a writ petition of Iqbal Hussain, who moved the court seeking direction to the educational authorities to continue history as one subject in Shan Inter College Moradabad, the study of which was stopped by regional secretary, Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, UP regional office Bareilly by means of order June 14, 2006.

The court said the board may take effective steps for introducing the subjects and mark out modilities in light of article 5/A of the constitution, which provides it shall be the duty of every citizen to abide by the constitution, the national flag and the national anthem apart from others.

UNI XC VS MSJ PC1940