'Teach Gujarati compulsorily in primary schools'

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court on Tuesday sought an explanation from the state government as to why it has not implemented the policy of introducing Gujarati as a mandatory subject in primary schools. The bench of Justice Sonia Gokani and Justice Nisha Thakore issued a notice in response to a PIL filed by Matrubhasha Abhiyan through advocates Amar Bhatt and Archit Jani.
The petitioners cited a government resolution passed on April 13, 2018, which made it mandatory for all schools in the state to teach Gujarati language in primary sections, at least from the second term of the academic year 2018-19. The petitioner complained that though the government has adopted the policy, it has not implemented it.
With more schools offering English medium education, and the number of Gujarati medium schools decreasing, learning of Gujarati has been adversely affected.
The lawyers submitted that states like Telangana and Maharashtra have not only made a policy for mandatory teaching of local languages, but also passed legislations, which are in consonance with Article 29 of the Constitution.
It was also submitted that the government has not taken efforts to implement the policy in schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate for Secondary Education (ICSE) and International Baccalaureate (IB).
During the hearing, the lawyers highlighted the recommendations of the Kothari Commission, the New Education Policy of 2020, and the insistence on the three-language formula but asserted that the implementation has been a problem in Gujarat.
The state government insisted that CBSE, ICSE and IB should also be questioned by the high court on why they have not implemented the government diktat on teaching of Gujarati in primary schools.
However, the judges said that the government is a policy maker and its implementer, and therefore the boards are not required to be impleaded as party respondents.
The court also sought explanation from the government on why it feels that it is at the mercy of the boards for teaching Gujarati language. The matter will be further heard on October 18.