The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Tamil Nadu government that it needs to change its mindset regarding Hindi. A bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih said that it is impossible that Hindi will not be taught in Tamil Nadu.
The court also questioned the idea of isolating Chennai and Delhi from each other. It said that people in Chennai should not be separated from those in Delhi, nor should Delhi be separated from Chennai.
The court’s comments came during a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government challenging the Madras High Court’s decision to establish Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district. The state government contends that the Navodaya Vidyalayas system is inconsistent with its education and language policies.
Dispute between the state and the center regarding the establishment of Navodaya Vidyalayas
The entire issue concerns the opening of Navodaya Vidyalayas in Tamil Nadu. These are residential schools run with central government funding. Both boys and girls study here, and students also have accommodation.
These schools are run by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, which operates under the Union Ministry of Education. The state government has long opposed the establishment of these schools.
The state’s main objection is the languages taught in schools. Navodaya Vidyalayas have a three-language system, which includes Hindi.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has a two-language policy, where Tamil and English are taught. The state government claims that the language system of Navodaya Vidyalayas is different from its policy.
The state government also says that the rights of the state should be kept in mind in such policy decisions related to education.
Read what the Supreme Court, the state and the center said…
1. Tamil Nadu government said – we have our own language policy
State government lawyer Jaideep Gupta argued that the Navodaya Vidyalayas system was inconsistent with the state’s education policy. He said that these schools teach three languages, while the state has a two-language policy.
Gupta said that this system could give Hindi more importance and could harm the Tamil language. He also said that Navodaya Vidyalayas are not directly owned by the central government; they are run by a society.
During the hearing , the state government also raised the issue of cooperation between the center and the states, i.e., cooperative federalism. Gupta said that cooperation between the center and the states should be two-way.
He also said that the state government may have to bear the costs of Navodaya Vidyalayas in the future. Gupta also raised the issue of delays in central payments related to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
2. The Supreme Court said that adopting the central government’s plan does not mean compromise or submission.
After hearing the Tamil Nadu government’s arguments, Justice B.V. Nagarathna said that adopting a central government scheme does not mean that the state government is bowing to the central government. Both the central and state governments should work together.
The bench stated that the addition of any new system to the already good work being done in the state will not lower the level of education. The opening of Navodaya Vidyalayas will provide students with more opportunities for education.
3. The central government said – the state only has to give the land.
Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, representing the central government, said the state government would provide the land for the school. The rest of the arrangements would be made by the central government.
The Centre said that the state will first have to identify such land in every district where schools can be built.
The controversy over the three-language policy in Tamil Nadu is an old one
Longstanding controversy over Hindi: Tamil Nadu has a long history of opposition to Hindi. Movements against attempts to make Hindi compulsory in the state date back to the 1930s.
Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy: Two languages, Tamil and English, are primarily taught in state schools. The Tamil Nadu government has consistently opposed the adoption of Hindi as a third language.
Three-Language Formula in NEP 2020: The central government’s New Education Policy (NEP) was implemented on July 29, 2020. It mandates that students learn three languages, at least two of which must be Indian.
State government’s objection: The Tamil Nadu government says the three-language system is different from its existing two-language policy and it will stick to its two-language policy.
