<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a direction to continue with the implementation of National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP) in the state, in terms of a government order dated August 7, 2021, issued by the previous BJP government. </p><p>A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Ramachandra D Huddar said that courts cannot intervene in policy matters.</p><p>The petitioners, Girish Bharadwaj and R Ananda Murthy, both Bengaluru-based advocates, had also challenged the October 11, 2023 order passed by the Congress government for the constitution of a committee to draft the State Education Policy.</p><p>“The petition seeks a direction that the State has to be compelled to adopt NEP and not a separate policy. Alternatively, it seeks a direction that NEP be considered by the state government. We are unable to accept this since any intervention by the courts is required in a matter of policy. It would not be appropriate for the court to exercise its power under Article 226 of the Constitution of India unless it is established in the petition that fundamental rights or statutory rights are violated,” the bench said.</p><p>The petition was filed in 2024. The petitioners stated that the NEP was brought as part of the idea of ‘one nation one education policy’ and that the previous government (BJP) had started implementing it in a phase-wise manner. It was claimed that a U-turn taken by the present government would not augur well as already many universities are following NEP.</p><p>The petitioners claimed that the education subject falls under the 7th Schedule, List III, Entry 25 of the Constitution of India and accordingly the Union government has exercised its powers to introduce NEP, 2020. </p><p>According to the petitioners, the state authorities have mechanically decided to withdraw the implementation of NEP, 2020 without assigning any reasons. They also said the NEP has already been implemented in the state from the academic year 2021-22 and sudden withdrawal will create confusion among its stakeholders like the Institutions, Universities, students and parents.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a direction to continue with the implementation of National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP) in the state, in terms of a government order dated August 7, 2021, issued by the previous BJP government. </p><p>A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Ramachandra D Huddar said that courts cannot intervene in policy matters.</p><p>The petitioners, Girish Bharadwaj and R Ananda Murthy, both Bengaluru-based advocates, had also challenged the October 11, 2023 order passed by the Congress government for the constitution of a committee to draft the State Education Policy.</p><p>“The petition seeks a direction that the State has to be compelled to adopt NEP and not a separate policy. Alternatively, it seeks a direction that NEP be considered by the state government. We are unable to accept this since any intervention by the courts is required in a matter of policy. It would not be appropriate for the court to exercise its power under Article 226 of the Constitution of India unless it is established in the petition that fundamental rights or statutory rights are violated,” the bench said.</p><p>The petition was filed in 2024. The petitioners stated that the NEP was brought as part of the idea of ‘one nation one education policy’ and that the previous government (BJP) had started implementing it in a phase-wise manner. It was claimed that a U-turn taken by the present government would not augur well as already many universities are following NEP.</p><p>The petitioners claimed that the education subject falls under the 7th Schedule, List III, Entry 25 of the Constitution of India and accordingly the Union government has exercised its powers to introduce NEP, 2020. </p><p>According to the petitioners, the state authorities have mechanically decided to withdraw the implementation of NEP, 2020 without assigning any reasons. They also said the NEP has already been implemented in the state from the academic year 2021-22 and sudden withdrawal will create confusion among its stakeholders like the Institutions, Universities, students and parents.</p>