Teaching Kannada not compulsory in unaided Schools: High Court

Bangalore, July 2 (UNI) The Karnataka High Court today rejected the State Government's move to make teaching Kannada language compulsory at unaided schools at primary level.

A three member bench comprising of Chief Judge Justice Ciyaric Joseph, Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N Kumar held that making compulsory of teaching Kannada in unaided schools as per Language Policy of 1994 was against the constitution. Parents are at the liberty to select the medium of instruction and making it compulsory to learn only in Kannada or regional language in unaided schools cannot be imposed.

However, the Policy can be implemented in Government and aided schools, the court said.

Disposing a petition filed by Karnataka Unaided Schools Management Association (KUSMA) against the State Language Policy 1994, Justice Cyraic Joseph said that learning English is not against the Constitution and you cannot claim that you can improve Kannada language only by making it compulsory at all primary schools in the State.

KUSMA had filed a case in the High Court challenging the government order effective from academic year 1995-96. The State Apex court had stayed operation of the order.

Reacting to the verdict by the High Court, newly appointed Kannada Development Authority Chairman Mukhyamantri Chandru, Mlc, expressed his regret over the order.

"The order would affect development of Kannada language and would request the state government to go for Supreme Court against the High Court's verdict.

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