The Supreme Court is set to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal. The plea, filed by Tamil Nadu-based advocate GS Mani, comes in the wake of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s strong opposition to the three-language formula, calling it an attempt to impose Hindi.
Mani, however, has argued that Stalin’s claims are “false, arbitrary, politically motivated, and against the fundamental right to free and effective education.” He contends that the NEP does not mandate Hindi imposition and that the States are constitutionally bound to adopt it.
Court’s Power to Intervene
The petition acknowledges that the Supreme Court does not have direct authority to compel a State government to accept and sign an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for NEP implementation. However, Mani asserts that the Court can issue directives if a State’s actions violate constitutional provisions.
“Though this Hon’ble Court does not generally have the direct power to compel a State government to accept the policy and sign an official MoU, it has the authority to issue orders in cases where constitutional provisions or laws are violated,” the plea states.
Tamil Nadu’s Opposition
Tamil Nadu follows a two-language system, teaching only Tamil and English in schools. The State government has consistently resisted the NEP’s three-language formula, claiming it is a backdoor attempt to impose Hindi. The plea, however, argues that the policy does not enforce any specific language and that States are legally obligated to implement it.
The Supreme Court is expected to take up the matter soon, and its ruling could have far-reaching implications for education policy and federal governance in India.
