Karnataka govt changes timing of Urdu schools during Ramzan
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has decided to change the school working hours for Urdu-medium primary, upper primary and high schools across the state during the month of Ramzan in the academic year 2025-26.
State Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said calling the government's move as appeasement of minorities was not right.
The decision applies to all government, aided and unaided Urdu-medium schools and follows a review of existing orders and a representation submitted by the Karnataka State Primary School Education Association (R), Bengaluru, a government circular said.
In its January 30 circular, which became public on Monday, the government noted, "Earlier, through a Standing Order issued on October 31, 2002, Urdu-medium lower primary, higher primary and high schools in the state were permitted to conduct classes only from 8 am to 12.45 pm, and the said Standing Order has been directed to be examined as per rules and necessary action taken."
The government referred to its March 8, 2023, under which an Activity Action Plan for the academic year 2023-24 was implemented for schools following the state syllabus.
As per that circular, an advisory timetable had fixed regular school working hours from 10 am to 4.20 pm for daily academic activities.
However, taking into account the observance of Ramzan and the long-standing special provisions for Urdu-medium institutions, the government examined the matter afresh following a representation dated January 17, 2026, submitted by the association’s president.
Accordingly, the order stated, "In the academic year 2025-26, for all government, aided and unaided Urdu-medium lower primary, higher primary and high schools in the state, the change in school working hours shall be applicable from the date of commencement of the month of Ramzan up to March 20, 2026."
The detailed schedule of the revised school working hours during this period will be followed by all concerned institutions, the order added.
Justifying the move, Parameshwara said these were aimed at bringing Urdu medium children equal to others.
"If somebody is not equal to you in all terms, like SC/ST why do you think a reservation was given to SC/STs in the Constitution from the beginning? Why do you think backward classes are considered in the Constitution itself? These are the people neglected for thousands of years. Don’t you want them to become equal to others and build an equal society?"
He said the change in timing was a little encouragement given by the government in terms of programmes.
"If that is not tolerated, it means you are against people being treated equally," the minister said.
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SC refuses to entertain PIL questioning procedures to record caste of citizens in 2027 census
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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL questioning the procedure to be adopted to record, classify and verify the caste data of citizens in the 2027 general census.
The top court, however, asked the Centre and the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India to consider the suggestions made by PIL petitioner Aakash Goel, an academician, on the issue.
Goel, represented by senior advocate Mukta Gupta, said a transparent questionnaire, to be used for recording, classifying and verifying the caste details of the citizens, has to be placed in public domain.
The senior advocate alleged that the Directorate of Census Operations has not disclosed the criteria for recording the caste identity of citizens "notwithstanding the acknowledgement that caste enumeration has extended beyond the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes this time”.
The bench told the PIL petitioner there is “no pre-determined data” to identify the caste data.
“The census exercise is regulated under the Census Act, 1958 and the 1990 Rules framed thereunder which empowers the respondent authorities to determine the particular and manners of census operations,” the bench noted.
“We have no reason to doubt that respondent authority with aid and assistance of domain experts must have evolved a robust mechanism in order to rule out any mistake as apprehended by the petitioner and several like-minded persons. We find the petitioner has raised some relevant issues through representation to the Registrar General of Census operations …as well,” the CJI said.
The bench said authorities may consider the suggestions raised in the legal notice and the petition and disposed of the PIL.
The 2027 Census, officially the 16th national census, will be the first to include comprehensive caste enumeration since 1931 and the country's first fully digital census.
