Kerala High Court stays order mandating Hindi as third language in Lakshadweep schools
New Delhi: The Kerala High Court has deferred the implementation of a government order that made Hindi mandatory as the third language in Lakshadweep schools. The decision came while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ajas Akbar, president of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), Lakshadweep.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji observed that language carries deep cultural significance and any alteration in the curriculum could have serious consequences. The bench questioned whether the Lakshadweep administration had conducted any study on the necessity and impact of the language change, to which the administration’s counsel admitted no such study had been carried out.
The administration defended its move by citing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (2022), and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (2023). However, the court clarified that the NEP 2020 only stipulates that two of the three languages taught in schools should be native to India, without mandating Hindi specifically.
The court also pointed out that under the Kerala Education Rules, 1959 and the Kerala Curriculum Framework, Arabic remains a prescribed subject of study.
The PIL argued that the administration’s decision to remove Arabic/Mahal from the curriculum violated the constitutional rights of a minority community, particularly affecting students from Minicoy Island where Mahal is the native language.
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UAE-based Indian doctor Shamsheer Vayalil announces Rs 6 crore aid for Air India crash victims
Dubai, Jun 17 (PTI): UAE-based Indian doctor and philanthropist Dr Shamsheer Vayalil has announced Rs 6 crore in financial aid for the families of medical students and doctors affected by the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad last week.
The ill-fated aircraft struck the BJ Medical College's Atulyam hostel complex during lunch hour, reducing student residences and the dining hall to rubble.
All but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 787-8(AI 171) and another 29 persons, including five MBBS students, on the ground were killed when the London-bound aircraft crashed, moments after it took off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Announcing the relief from the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi, Dr Shamsheer, founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings and managing director of VPS Health, said he was deeply shaken when he saw the aftermath of the crash.
As someone who had lived in similar hostels during his medical education at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai, the images struck a chord, he said.
“I saw the footage from the mess and the hostel, and it truly shook me. It reminded me of the places I once called home, the corridors, the beds, the laughter, the pressure of exams, and the anticipation of a call from family,” he said.
“No one expects a commercial aircraft to come crashing into that world,” he added.
“Those students started the day thinking about lectures, assignments, and patients. Their lives ended in a way none of us could ever imagine. It hit close. Too close,” he said.
Dr Shamsheer’s relief package includes Rs 1 crore for each of the four deceased students’ families, Rs 20 lakh each for five seriously injured students, and Rs 20 lakh each for the families of doctors who lost loved ones.
The financial assistance will be delivered in coordination with the Junior Doctors’ Association at BJ Medical College, ensuring that those in need receive support swiftly.
This is not the first time Dr Shamsheer has responded to such a crisis. In 2010, following the Mangalore air crash, he provided financial assistance and employment opportunities to affected families at Burjeel Holdings, a leading healthcare provider in the Middle East.
