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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Rahul Gandhi to attend friendly football match between Messi, Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad
Hyderabad (PTI): Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will attend the GOAT India Tour event featuring football legend Lionel Messi at the RGI Cricket Stadium here on Saturday evening, Telangana Congress sources said.
A friendly match will be played between the two teams -- Singareni RR9 and Aparna-Messi All Stars. These two teams will be playing a 15-20 minute friendly match and five minutes before the game, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a football enthusiast and Messi will join and will dribble the ball together.
Rahul Gandhi will land here on a special flight at 4.30 PM and will proceed to Taj Falaknuma Palace Hotel where Messi will be staying.
After watching the game, Gandhi will leave for the national capital by 10.30 PM.
Elaborate security arrangements are being made for the event at the RGI Cricket stadium.
Rachakonda Police Commissioner Sudheer Babu said security would be provided with 3,000 personnel.
