SC says government cannot make regional language compulsory
New Delhi: The Supreme court on Tuesday held that the government cannot impose regional language 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 R.M. Lodha said.
The bench 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.
