SC refuses to stay HC order against compulsory English medium in AP govt schools

The Andhra Pradesh authorities’s resolution to introduce English medium compulsorily in all of the state-run schools from 2020-21 educational 12 months acquired a setback with Supreme Court on Thursday refusing to grant stay on the state excessive court docket’s verdict in this regard.

A division bench of the Supreme Court, comprising justice D Y Chandrachud, justice KM Joseph and justice Indu Malhotra, requested the respondents – Sudheesh Rambhotla and Guntupalli Srinivas – to file their counters over the particular depart petition filed by the AP authorities difficult the excessive court docket order.

The bench mentioned it could look into the deserves of the case and think about granting stay on the excessive court docket order after going by way of the counter-affidavits to be filed by the respondents. It posted the case to September 25 for additional listening to.

On April 15, the state excessive court docket struck down authorities order (GO No. 85 Dated November 20, 2019) making English medium schooling compulsory from lessons I to VI in major, higher major and excessive schools below all managements from 2020-21. It was to be step by step prolonged to every additional class from the following consequent educational years.

The excessive court docket agreed with the rivalry of the petitioners that the mentioned GO was extremely vires of the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and violative of Articles 14, 21 and 21-A of the Constitution.

The Andhra Pradesh authorities moved Supreme Court in June difficult the excessive court docket’s order. Senior advocate for the federal government Okay V Vishwanathan argued that there was no provision in the Right to Education Act that schooling ought to be compulsorily performed solely in the mom tongue.

Stating that introduction of English medium is a progressive resolution, the advocate mentioned due to non-availability of English medium in authorities schools, the dad and mom have been compelled to ship their youngsters to the personal schools spending big cash. “As a result, the enrolment in the government schools is coming down,” he argued.

He mentioned the federal government was prepared to set up Telugu medium schools for individuals who wished to research in mom tongue and they’d even be supplied with free transport. He identified {that a} survey carried out by the federal government revealed that 95% of scholars and oldsters wished English because the medium of instruction.