SC to examine Andhra Pradesh govt's plea against order on English medium schools

The Supreme Court on Thursday decided to examine a plea by the Andhra Pradesh government, questioning the validity of the High Court's order that quashed a decision allowing government schools to teach in English medium between class I to VI.

A bench presided over by Justice D Y Chandrachud issued to Srinivas Guntipalli on whose plea the HC had passed its order in April.

The court decided to consider on the next date, September 25, a plea for stay on the HC's order.

The state government led by senior advocate K V Vishwanathan contended the move was a progressive and practical one and nothing in the Right to Education Act stated that the medium of instruction has to be in mother tongue only.

The top court said that the HC has taken into account Section 29(2)(f) of the RTE Act which stated that the medium will mean that ordinarily it should be in mother tongue “so far as it is applicable” unless not possible.

The counsel said the provision should be interpreted as "in so far as possible" as done earlier by the Constitution bench.

"People are moving out of government schools. We had conducted a survey where majority of parents desired it. Generations will stutter if not allowed to get education in English medium," he said.

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan, appearing on caveat, said that this was about a choice which was being taken away from the parents and children.

Telugu-speaking schools were being replaced with English medium. The state should be fostering its mother tongue, he said.

Vishwanathan said that the RTE Act did not put a bar on English medium schools as private and minority schools were already doing it.