Karnataka HC issues notice to state, centre in plea challenging imposition of Kannada in CBSE, ICSE schools

Petitioners claimed that the effect of the provisions of Karnataka Language Learning Act, Rules & NoC Rules is that schools will have to compulsorily teach Kannada.

The high court on Wednesday issued a notice to the state and central government in a PIL challenging the alleged imposition of Kannada as a subject to the students studying in CBSE/ICSE schools. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale declined to pass any interim order at this stage and adjourned the hearing to two weeks.

The petitioners, C Somashekar and 19 others, are parents and teachers of children studying in various CBSE and ICSE schools. The petition submitted that the combined effect of the provisions of Karnataka Language Learning Act, Rules and NoC Rules is that schools in the state affiliated with CBSE and ICSE Boards will have to teach Kannada either as a first, second or third language.

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The petition stated that the NOC Rules require Kannada to be taught as a second or a third language. The petitioners claimed that the children are affected and disadvantaged by Section 3 of the Karnataka Language Learning Act, 2015, Rule 3 of the Karnataka Language Learning Rules 2017, and Rule 6(2) of the Karnataka Educational Institutions (Issue of no objection certificate and control) Rules, 2022. Failure to comply with the requirement could entail the NOC granted to an educational institution being withdrawn as per Rule 6 (5).

“These enactments severely and prejudicially affect the rights of school students in the state of Karnataka to study a first, second or third language of their choice. This has great ramifications on the academic outcomes of children and stands to prejudicially affect their academic and employment opportunities in the future. These enactments also have serious consequences on the livelihood of teachers who teach languages other than Kannada in schools,” the petition said.

The petitioners claimed that they've learnt that CBSE and ICSE schools are being threatened for violating the Karnataka Language Learning Act and Rules and the coercive attempt is also evident from the NOC rules.