HC give's a week's time for schools on medium of instruction issue

Bangalore, Jun 25 (UNI) Karnataka High Court today granted a week's time to 2000-odd schools to file affidavits undertaking to admit students in class one in the medium in which they had received recognition from the state government.

Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice B S Patil granted another week time to the members of the Karnataka Unaided Schools Management Association and said the recognition granted shall however continue till the writ petition in this matter was disposed.

The schools which were given permission to run on Kannada medium but freely admitted students in English medium were up in arms against the State Government's decision de-recognise such schools to enforce the language rule.

The bench said in case of schools which were willing to opt for the scheme were given time up to July 2nd to act. It clarified that this order was passed in the interest of the students.

Now the schools can only admit students in Kannada medium in Class I. However, those studying in class II onwards could continue their studies in English medium until they passed out of Class V, the Judges said.

The bench observed that action of the government to withdraw recognition for those schools who did not follow the medium of instruction cannot be termed illegal and arbitrary. However no final view was expressed in the matter.

The matters will now be heard before the single judge on merits.

UNI