The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide land for opening a Navodaya Vidyalaya in every district.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih asked the state to complete the task within three months. The direction was issued under the court’s order dated 15 December 2025.
The court said there should be co-operative federalism between the Centre and the states. It asked the Tamil Nadu government to change its stance and engage in discussions with the Centre.
The case concerns the opening of a Navodaya Vidyalaya in every district of Tamil Nadu. The state government has been opposing the establishment of Navodaya schools over the three-language policy implemented in them.
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government challenging a September 2017 direction of the Madras High Court. The High Court had directed the state to help open a Navodaya Vidyalaya in every district.
The bench said, “There should be cooperative federalism.” The court asked, “If the Union government introduces a policy tomorrow on a subject in the Concurrent List and every state starts saying that it will not follow your policy, what will happen to our federal structure?”
The bench also asked the Tamil Nadu government to reconsider its position on the issue. During the hearing, senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, appearing for the state, said that an application had been filed seeking the recall of the Supreme Court’s order of 15 December 2025.
The court said, “We are not recalling that order.” The bench also said that the government in the state had changed since 15 December.
The bench then said, “In these circumstances, we direct the petitioner state to comply with our order of 15 December 2025. Under this order, the state will have to identify the land required to open Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district.”
The court said that this direction would remain subject to the outcome of the state’s special leave petition. The bench gave the state government three months to comply with the direction.
The court also asked representatives of the state and Centre to hold further discussions on establishing these schools in Tamil Nadu.
During the hearing, the bench told the state’s lawyer, “You need to change your perspective first. If you say that we do not want Navodaya schools because Hindi will be taught on Tamil Nadu soil…”
Jaideep Gupta said the state was not opposed to the teaching of Hindi in Tamil Nadu at all. He said, “There are a large number of schools in Tamil Nadu where Hindi is taught.”
Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, said the state only needed to provide land. He said, “The Centre will take care of everything else. There will be absolutely no burden on the state government.”
He also said that the issue related to the language policy could be resolved through discussions. The bench asked both sides to hold talks and find a solution.
The court said, “The people of Chennai should not distance themselves from Delhi, and Delhi should not distance itself from Chennai either…” The bench stressed that all parties should work together.
The bench said, “We are not separating you or them. Some other kinds of schools will come to your state, which will further improve your high standards. We are familiar with these standards. This will not lower your standards.”
The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing in the case for 14 December.
The Tamil Nadu government has opposed the establishment of Navodaya Vidyalayas. The state has objected to the curriculum under the three-language policy implemented in these schools.
The Madras High Court had said that the state’s refusal to allow Navodaya Vidyalayas limited students’ right to choose educational institutions. The High Court had also held that this was against the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
The state government had challenged the High Court’s decision. Subsequently, on 11 December 2017, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court’s directions.
On 15 December 2025, the Supreme Court amended its interim stay order. The court directed the state to identify the land required to open a Navodaya Vidyalaya in every district.
