Can't impose mother tongue in primary schools: SC

The Supreme court on Tuesday held that the government cannot impose mother tongue on linguistic minority for imparting primary education.

The Supreme court on Tuesday held that the government cannot impose mother tongue on linguistic minority for imparting primary education.

"State has no power to compel linguistic minority to impart primary education by compulsorily imposing regional language," a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha said.

The bench, also comprising justices AK Patnaik, SJ Mukhopadhaya, Dipak Misra and FMI Kalifulla, was hearing the issue which had come before the apex court as two Karnataka government orders of 1994 making mother tongue or regional language compulsory for imparting education from class I to IV, had come under challenge.

In July last year, a two-judge bench of the apex court had said its Constitution Bench will examine whether government can impose mother tongue or regional language as the medium of instruction at the primary education stage as it has a far-reaching significance on the development of children.

The court, which was of the opinion that it was a fit case for consideration by a larger bench, had said that the issue involved in this case concerns the fundamental rights of not only the present generation but also the generations yet to be born.