SC dismisses plea seeking one nation, one syllabus for kids

New Delhi, Dec 8: The Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking 'one nation and one syllabus' for children aged 6-14 years throughout the country. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said that a common syllabus is not possible and dismissed the petition.

Senior advocate Sajan Poovayya, appearing for primary school teacher Neeta Upadhaya, wife of BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Upadhaya, said that introduction of common education system will advance the objective behind the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

To this the bench said that court can't do this and common syllabus can't be introduced. The petitioner had sought a direction to the Centre in spirit of the Article 21A of the Constitution and to establish "One Nation-One Education Board" system.

The plea had said that introduction of the new system would substitute the existing multi-board system like Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) board and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). It also sought a direction for introduction of a common textbook having chapters on the Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles and the Great Golden Goals as set out in Preamble of the Constitution and make its study compulsory for all the children aged 6-14 years throughout the country.

Upadhaya had said that Article 21A of the Constitution makes education a fundamental right of children but the executive has not introduced common education system in spirit of the provisions. The plea said that injury is caused to the children because prevailing education system does not provide equal opportunity to all the children in spirit of the Article 16 and Preamble of the Constitution, as syllabus and curriculum are very different.

PTI