Consider making moral education compulsory: HC to Centre

, Jan 8: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to "examine" and consider a plea to make moral education compulsory in the curriculum from nursery to university level.

"The government (Ministry of Human Resource Development) is directed to examine and consider it (PIL) properly," a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said.

The court, after issuing the direction, disposed of the PIL filed by advocates, Madhu Mukul Tripathi and R P Arora. "The non-implementation of provisions of National Policy on Education in respect of moral education and inculcation of moral values in students has resulted in rampant corruption and erosion of values in all walks of national life," the plea said.

'Degradation of moral values has led to deterioration of the quality of life'

The degradation of moral values has led to deterioration of the quality of life enjoyed by common citizens of the country, it said. The petition has sought a direction to the Centre and the NCERT to take urgent steps to ensure that moral education becomes a compulsory and significant part of curriculum from nursery to university stage in public and private institutions across the country.

It said that appropriate syllabus be devised on the subject in consultation with educationists and spiritual scholars of various religions.

PTI