Supreme Court of India
THE STATE OF KARNATAKAversusTHE ASSOCIATED MANAGEMENT OF (GOVT. RECOGNIZED UNAIDED ENGLISH MEDIUM) PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS & ORS.
- Citation
- 2013 INSC 441
- Decided
- 5 July 2013
- Disposal
- Matter referred to larger bench
- Bench
- P SATHASIVAM
Holding
The Court held that the question of mother‑tongue as the medium of instruction has already been decided in English Medium Students Parents Association, and that the present controversy must be decided by a Constitution Bench.
Summary
The State of Karnataka appealed against the High Court's partial upholding of its 1994 Government Orders mandating mother‑tongue or Kannada as the medium of instruction in primary schools, which had been challenged by unaided English‑medium schools. The Supreme Court examined whether the State could compel the mother tongue or regional language and whether parents or students have a constitutional right to choose a different medium. It noted that the issue of mother‑tongue instruction had already been decided in English Medium Students Parents Association, and that the additional clauses in the 1994 orders raised fresh questions. Consequently, the Court found that the matter required a larger constitutional interpretation and referred the case to a Constitution Bench. The appeals were dismissed and the petition was referred for further hearing.
Issues considered
- What does "mother tongue" mean for the purpose of medium of instruction?
- Whether a student, parent or citizen has a right to choose the medium of instruction at the primary stage?
- Whether imposing mother‑tongue instruction infringes fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 29 and 30 of the Constitution?
- Whether "government‑recognized schools" include private and unaided schools for the purpose of the language policy?
- Whether Article 350A empowers the State to compel linguistic minorities to adopt their mother tongue as the medium of instruction in primary schools?
Legislation cited
- Constitution of Indias. Art.14, s. Art.19, s. Art.21, s. Art.29, s. Art.30, s. Art.350A
- Karnataka Education Act, 1983
- Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009
Subjects
mother tonguemedium of instructionprimary educationconstitutional lawArticle 350Alinguistic minoritiesright to chooseeducation policySupreme CourtConstitution Bench
Judgment
[2013] 7 S.C.R. 446
A THE STATE OF KARNATAKA & ANR.
v.
THE ASSOCIATED MANAGEMENT OF (GOVT.
RECOGNIZED UNAIDED ENGLISH MEDIUM) PRIMARY
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS & ORS.
B (Civil Appeal Nos. 5166-5190 of 2013)
JULY 05, 2013
[P. SATHASIVAM AND RANJAN GOGOi, JJ.]
C EDUCATION:
Primary education - Medium of instruction from 1st to 4th
standard - Held: In view of the fact, that a two-Judge Bench in
English Medium Students Parents Association has already
D arrived at a decision as to the question whether the medium
of instruction should be that of mother tongue, it is not
appropriate to decide the very same issue under different
grounds by a coordinate Bench -- Besides, the vital question
involved in the instant matters has a far-reaching significance
E on the development of children -- Further, the issue concerns
about the fundamental rights of not only the present
generation but also the generations yet to be born --
Considering the constitutional importance of the matter, the
same is referred to a Constitution Bench for consideration of
the questions enumerated in the judgment - Reference to
F larger Bench.
The Government of Karnataka, in pursuance of
Constitutional mandate under Art. 350A of the
Constitution of India, by Government Order dated
G 19.06.1989, specified the mother tongue as the medium
of instruction at the primary school level making it
mandatory for every child who had not opted for
'Kannada' as the first language to take it as a second
H 446
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG. OF PRIMARY 447
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
language. The said GO was upheld by the Supreme Court A .
in English Medium Students Parents Association .
Subsequently, in supersession of all the earlier orders,
the Government of Karnataka issued Government Order
·dated 29.04.1994 in terms of order dated 22.04.1994
mandating that the medium of instruction from 1st to 4th 8
standard in all schools recognized by the State
Government should be either the mother tongue or
Kannada from the Academic Year 1994-1995. However,
permission was granted to the students studying in 2nd,
3rd and 4th standards to continue in the medium of C
language they were studying at that time. It was also
ordered to close down all the unauthorized schools that
were not fulfilling the prescribed conditions. Several writ
petitions, including the one by the respondent-Primary
and Secondary Schools Association, were filed. The full
Bench of the High Court, by order dated 02.07.2008, 0
partly allowed the writ petitions while upholding the
Government Order dated 29.04.1994, and quashed clause
Nos. 2, 3, 6 and 8 thereof in its application to schools
other than the schools run or aided by the Government.
E
Aggrieved, the State of Karnataka preferred the
instant appeals. Besides, 15 reside.nts of the State of
Karnataka, claiming as eminent educationists, deeply
interested in the subject, namely, that primary education
from 1st to 4th standard in all Government recognized F
schools should be in the mother tongue of the children,
filed Writ Petition No. 290 of 2009 under Art. 32 of the
Constitution of India praying to declare that the
Government Order dated 29.04.1994 is constitutionally
. valid in respect of unaided government recognized G
primary schools also and to issue a writ of mandamus
directing the State Government to implement its order
dated 29.04.2004. Civil Appeals nos. 5191-5199 of 2013
were filed by various officers of the Education
Department of the State of Karnataka against the order H
448 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2013) 7 S.C.R.
A dated 03.07.2009, passed by Single Judge of the High
Court, directing them to accord permission to the
respondents in ~he said appeals to start an English
Medium School in the State.
Referring the matter to a Constitution Bench, the
8 Court
HELD: 1.1 The crux of all the grounds raised in the
instant matters is whether the mother tongue or the
regional language can be imposed by the State as the
C medium of instruction at the primary education stage. The
issue pertaining to the medium of instruction
contemplated in the writ petition before the High Court
is not untouched by the decision in English Medium
Students Parents Association* wherein this Court upheld
o the mother tongue as the medium of instruction in the
primary education. [Para 29 and 34) [465-B-D; 467-C)
English Medium Students Parents Association vs. The
=
State of Kamataka & Ors. 1993 (3) Suppl. SCR 934 1994
(1) sec - referred to.
E
1.2 However, it is equally correct that the impugned
GOs dated 22.04.1994/ 29.04.1994 were not similar to GO
dated 19.06,1989. The said impugned order reframed the
earlier order by adding few additional clauses, which
F were the matter of dispute in the writ petition before the
High Court and this Court. Therefore, the State is parl1y
correct when it says that the impugned GOs viz.,
22.04.1994/29.04.1994 are in substance similar to GO
dated 19.06.1989 since both the GOs stipulated the need
G for the child to acquire the primary education in the
mother tongue. However, the additional clauses inserted
in the impugned order, viz., Clause Nos. 2, 3, 6 and 8
compel the child to study in mother tongue or regional
language which was seriously contested before the High
H Court and this Court. [Para 30] (465-E; ·466-C-E] ·
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG OF PRIMARY 449
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
1.3 While deciding the validity of these additional A
clauses in the impugned GO, the High Court further went
on to state that the question whether a student, a parent
or a citizen ha$ a right to choose a medium of instruction
at primary stage other than mother tongue or regional
language was not decided in the English Medium B
Students Parents Association case and took the liberty
to decide the same. In view of the fact, that a two-Judge
Bench of this Court in English Medium Students Parents
a
Association has already arrived at decision as to the
question whether the medium of instruction should be c
that of mother tongue, it is not ap11ropriate to decide the
very same issue under different grounds by a Bench of
same number of judges. Therefore, it is a fit case for
consideration by a larger bench. [Paras 31-33] [466-E-H;
467-B] D
1.4 The vital question involved in the instant matters
has a far-reaching significance on the development of the
children in our country who are the future adults.
Likewise, the importance of a language cannot be
understated; reorganization of States was primarily E
based on language. Further, the issue involved in the
instant matters concerns about the fundamental rights of
not only the present generation but also the generations
yet to be born. [Para 35) [467-D, E-FJ
F
1.5 Considering the constitutional importance of the
matter, it should be heard by a Constitution Bench. The
following questions are relevant for consideration by the
Constitution Bench: ·
(i) What does Mother tongue mean? If it referred G
to as the language in which the child is
comfortable with, then who will decide the
same?
(ii) Whether a student or a parent or a citizen has H
450 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013] 7 S.C.R.
A a right to choose a medium of instruction at
primary stage?
(iii) Does the imposition of mother tongue in any
way affects the fundamental rights under Arts.
14, 19, 29 and 30 of the Constitution?
8
(iv) Whether the Government recognized schools
are inclusive of both government-aided
schools and private and unaided schools?
c (v) Whether the State can by virtue of Article 350-
A of the Constitution compel the linguistic
minorities to choose their mother tongue only
as medium of instruction in primary schools?
(Para 36] (467-G-H; 468-A-D]
D General Secretary, Linguistic Minorities Protection
Committee vs. State of Karnataka AIR 1989 Kant 226 -
referred to
Case Law Reference:
E
1993 (3) Suppl. SCR 934 referred to para 3
AIR 1989 Kant 226 referred to para 8
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No.
F 5166-5190 of 2013.
From the Judgment and Order dated 02.07.2008 of the
High Court of Karnataka in Writ Petition Nos. 14363 of 1994
(Education) with Writ Petition Nos. 14377, 15491, 19453,
22563of1994, 30645of1999, 25647, 18571, 19331, 17337,
G 18787, 19469, 20165, 17338 of 1994, Writ Appeal No. 2415
of 1995, Writ Petition Nos. 11785, 29540 of 1995, 22752,
19434 of 1994, 900 of 2000, 17677, 19346 of 1994 34396,
34684 and 34185 of 1996.
H
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG. OF PRIMARY 451
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
WITH A
W.P. (C) No. 290 of 2009, C.A. Nos. 5191-5199 of 2013.
P.P. Rao, H. Subrmanya Jois, K.N. Bhat, T.S, Doabia,
K.M. Nataraj, AAG, Anitha Shenoy, Visruti Vijay, K.V. Bharathi
Upadhyaya, Ashwih Koltemath, Mohan V. Katarki, Shailesh B
Madiyal, Ravi R.S., Jagjit Singh Chhabra, P.R. Ramasesh,
Sunita Sharma, Manpreet Singh Doabia, S.N. Bhat, T.V.
Ratnam, K.V. Dhananjay, Shekhar G. Devasa, M.P. Srikanth,
V.N. Raghupathy, Anitha Shenoy, Rameshwar Prasad Goyal,
G.R. Mohan, Prabha Swami, Gurudatta Ankolekar, Kirit S. c
Javali, Azeem A. Kalebudde, Y. Rajagopala Rao, B.K. Pal for
the appearing parties.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
P. SATHASIVAM, J. 1. Leave granted in all the special D
leave petitions .
. SLP (C) Nos. 18139-18163 of 2008
2. These appeals have been filed against the final
judgment and order dated 02.07.2008 passed by the High E
Court of Karnataka at Bangalore in Writ Petition No. 14363 of
1994 connected with Writ Petition Nos. 14377, 15491, 19453,
22563, 25647, 18571, 19331, 17337, 18787, 19469, 20165,
17338, 22752, 19434, 17677, 19346 of 1994, Writ Appeal No.
2415 of 1995, Writ Petition Nos. 11785, 29540 of 1995, Writ F
Petition Nos. 34396, 34684, 34185 of 1996, Writ Petition No.
30645 of 1999 and Writ Petition No. 900 of 2000 whereby the
High Court partly allowed the writ petitions filed by the
respondents herein.
G
3. Brief facts:
(a) The Associated Management of Govt. Recognized
Primary and Secondary Schools Association is a society
registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act,
1960 (in short 'the Society')-Respondent herein, consisting of H
452 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013] 7 S.C.R.
A recognized, unaided, English medium, primary and secondary
schools in the State of Karnataka. On 19.06.1989, the
Government of Karnataka, in pursuance of Constitutional
mandate under Article 350A of the Constitution of India, spelt
oot its language policy by way of a Government Order specifying
8 the mother tongue as the medium of instruction at the primary
school level and making it mandatory for every child who has
not opted fo.r 'Kannada' as the first language to take it as a
second language. The aforesaid order was challenged before
this Court in English Medium Students Parents Association
vs. The State of Karnataka & Ors. 1994 (1) SCC 550, wherein,
C by order dated 08.12.1993, this Court, while upholding the
Government Order dated 19.06.1989, declined to interfere in
the matter.
(b) In the light of the aforesaid order dated 08.12.1993, the
D Government of Karnataka issued a revised Government Order
dated 22.04.1994 purporting to re-affirm its policy set out in its
earlier order dated 19.06.1989. The Government of Karnataka,
having regard to the difficulties and hardships involved in
converting English medium schools to Kannada medium
E schools, resorted to make the policy applicable to the English
medium schools from the year 1989. In supersession of all the
earlier orders, the Government of Karnataka issued subsequent
Government Order dated 29.04.1994 indicating the language
policy to be followed in the State with effect from the Academic
F Year 1994-1995. As per the said order, the medium of
instruction from 1st to 4th standard in all schools recognized
by the State Government shall be either the mother tongue or
Kannada from the Academic Year 1994-1995, however,
permission was granted to the students studying in 2nd, 3rd and
G 4th standards to continue in the medium of language they were
studying at that time. It was also ordered to close down all the
unauthorized schools that were not fulfilling the prescribed
conditions.
(c) In pursuance of the impugned Government Order,
H
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG. OF PRIMARY 453
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS [P. SATHASIVAM, J.]
consequential orders were issued to several schools calling A
upon them to change the medium of instruction and to effect
other consequential changes. Being aggrieved of the impugned
orders, various linguistic and religious minorities, religious
denominations, parents, parents' associations, children through
their parents and educational institutions run by the majority filed B
Writ Petition being No. 14363 of 1994 and connected writ
petitions before the High Court of Karnataka questioning the
constitutional validity of the Government Orders dated
· 22.04.1994 and 2!:}.04.1994 ?S being violative of Articles 14,
19(1)(a), 21, 29(2) and 30(1) of the Constitution of India. c
(d) The full Bench of the High Court, by order dated
02.07.2008, partly allowed the writ petition and the connected
petitions while upholding the Government Order and quashed
. clause Nos 2, 3, 6 and 8 of the impugned Government Order
dated 29,04.1994 in its application to schools other than the D
schools run or aided by the Government.
(e) Being aggrieved, the State of Karnataka has preferred
these appeals by way of special leave before this Court.
E
Writ Petition (C) No. 290 of 2009
4. Apart from the above appeals, 15 residents of the State
of Karnataka, claiming as eminent educationists, deeply
interested in the subject, namely, that primary education from
1st to 4th standard in all Government recognized schools should F
be in the mother tongue of the children concerned filed Writ
Petition No. 290 of 2009 under Article 32 of the Constitution
of India praying to declare that the Government Order dated
29.04.1994 is constitutionally valid in respect of unaided
government recognized primary schools also and to issue a G
writ of mandamus directing the State Government to implement
its order dated 29.04.2004 accordingly.
SLP (C) Nos. 15640-15648 of 2009
The above said petitions have been filed by various officers of H
454 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013] 7 S.C.R.
A the Education Department of the State of Karnataka-the
appellants herein against the order dated 03.07.2009, passed
by learned Single Judge of the Karnataka High Court, directing
them to accord permission to Shubodaya Vidya Samsthe and
Saraswathi Education Society-the respondents herein to start
B · an English Medium School in the State during the pendency of
the appeal before this Court.
5. Since the relief sought for in the appeals and the writ
petition pertains to the same subject-matter, they are being
C dealt with by the present order. ·
6. Heard Mr. P.P. Rao, Mr. H. Subramanya Jois, learned
senior counsel for the appellants and Mr. Mohan V. Katarki,.
learned counsel for the respondents and Mr. T.S. Doa.bia,
learned senior counsel for the Union of India. ·
D
7. The Government .
of Karn"ataka, 'by order
~ . dated
.
20 .07 .1982, prescribed that Kannada sh.all· be the sole fi~st
language from 1st standard . ,. of primary
.
school itself. The
constitutional validity ·o'f this order was challenged in a
number of .writ petitio_r:is· before the High Court of Karnataka by
E linguistic minbtities cont~n~ing •that they hav~ ·a right to ·have
primary ~ducatioh in their respective q mother
• ' • • • • .lo ~ •
tongue
. .
and,
therefore, prescription of Kannada as the .sole language in
which education ·shouid be.imparted from 1ststandard itself is
. F unconstitutional
' and violative . of Articles
• 14, 19,'21, 29 and 30
. .
of the Constitution~
8. Considering the importance of the matter, the same was
heard by a Full Bench of the Karnataka High Court in' General
Secr_etary, Linguistic MinC?riti~s Protection Committee vs.
G State of Kamataka AIR 1989 Kant 226." After considering the
claim of all the parties Concerned. and also the opinion of various
committees, the Full Bench, by 'order dated 25.01.1989, held
that the Government Order dated 20.07.1982 is unconstitutional
to the extent that it made Kannada a compulsory and sole
H subject for all children in the State of Karnataka from 1st
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG OF PRIMARY 455
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS [P. SATHASIVAM, J.]
standard and deprived the petitioners therein whose mother A
tongue was not Kannada to have primary education in their
mother tongue. Along with the said petitioner(s), a writ petition
was also filed by English Medium Students Parents Association
claiming that they have the right to have primary education in
English language as substantial number of members of the said B
organization were converted Christians and, therefore, they
have the right to have primary education in English. The said
request was negatived by the full Bench, however, liberty was
given to the State to formulate its language policy. Aggrieved
of the said order of the full Bench of the Karnataka High Court, c
the State Government preferred an appeal before this Court.
However, after having preferred an appeal, the State
Government accepted the principle that primary education from
1st to 4th standard should be in mother tongue and issued a
Government Order (GO) dated 19.06.1989 in conformity with D
the judgment of the Full Bench of the Karnataka High Court,
inter alia, prescribing that mother tongue shall be the medium
of instruction from 1st to 4th standard while the appeal was
pending before this Court.
9. The English Medium Students Parents Association filed E
a writ petition under Article 32 before this Court questioning the
constitutional validity of the GO dated 19.06.1989 on the ground .
that prescription of mother tongue as the sole language of
instruction from 1st to 4th standard was unconstitutional and
violative of Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution as it interfered F
with the right to have primary education at that level in English.
10. The appeals filed by the Government of Karnataka and
the writ petition filed by the English Medium Students Parents
Association were heard together and decided by a common G
judgment of this Court in English Medium Students Parents
Association (supra). By order dated 08.12.1993, this Court
upheld the decision of the Full Bench of the Karnataka High
Court. Thereafter, the State Government made an order dated
22.04.1994 in conformity with the judgment of this Court H
456 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013] 7 S.C.R.
A prescribing that mother tongue of the children or the regional
language shall be the language in which education shall be
imparted from 1st to 4th standard. In the said order, the State
Government exempted the educational institutions to which
permission had been granted earlier to 1989 from giving
B instruction in primary education f~om 1st to 4th standard in
mother tongue. This created incongruity for the reason that in
view of the said exemption, there would be two categories of
primary schools in that one set started prior to 1989 with English
medium would continue primary education in English whereas
c primary schools started after 1989 were bound to impart
primary education in mother tongue. When this contradiction
was brought to the notice of the Government, the Government
immediately modified the order dated 22.04.1994 by another
order dated 29.04.1994 removing the exemption.
D 11. The Associated Management of Primary and
Secondary Schools, Karanataka filed Writ Petition No. 14363
of 1994 before the High Court challenging the constitutional
validity of the aforesaid two GOs dated 22.04.1994 and
29.04.1994. The State Government filed its statement of
E objection to the writ petition ,stating that by judgment dated
08.12.1993, the policy of the State Government prescribing
mother tongue as the language in which the primary education
from 1st to 4th standard should be imparted was constitutionally
held valid by this Court and the impugned orders were similar
F in that both prescribed that primary education from 1st to 4th
shall be the mother tongue of the children. The Full Bench before
which the said writ petition was posted ultimately concluded on
02.07 .2008 holding that the Government orders dated
22.04.1994 and 29.04.1994 were applicable only to
G Government and government aided private schools but not to
private and unaided primary schools, though they were also
government recognized schools.
Contentions of the Appellants:
H 12. Mr. P.P. Rao, learned senior counsel for the State of
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG OF PRIMARY 457
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS [P. SATHASIVAM, J.)
Karnataka, by taking us through various articles of the A
Constitution and the provisions of the Karnataka Education Act,
1983 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory
Education Act, 2009 (in short 'the RTE Act') as well al? various
decisions of this Court submitted that the High Court committed
an error in not following the decision of this Court in English B
Medium Students Parents Association (supra) in which this
Court upheld the Government Order prescribing that primary
education shall be in mother tongue. He also pointed out that
the High Court has equally committed an error in holding that
this Court did not go into the question as to whether a parent C·
or a student has a right to choose the medium of instruction at
the primary school stage when that was the very question raised
by the petitioners therein and rejected by this Court. He further
pointed out that the High Court erred in holding that the parent
and the child ("pupil") have a fundamental right of the choice 0
of medium of instruction at primary level as against the policy
decision "taken by the State in larger national and educational
interest of the children. According to him, the High Court failed
to take note of Article 350A of the Constitution which stipulates
that every endeavor shall be made by ttie State and Local
Authority to provide adequate facilities for instructions in mother E
tongue at the primary stage of education and empower the
State to lay down its education policy that primary education
shall be in the mother tongue of the children concerned. He
further contended that the High Court equally committed an
error in holding that primary education shall be in mother tongue F
only in respect of government and government aided schools
notwithstanding the fact that all schools belonged to one
category as recognized schools and alone can impart
education. Finally, he submitted that the policy of the
Government to have uniform policy .in the matter of primary G
education is not only applicable to Government and
Government Aided institutions but also to unaided institutions
which was approved by this Court in English Medium Students
Parents Association (supra). ·
H
... ''
458 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013] 7 S.C.R.
A 13. The individuals claiming as educationalists fighting for
Kannada language who filed writ petition under Article 32 of
the Constitution also adopted the similar arguments.
Contentions of the Respondents:
B 14. On the other hand, various learned counsel appearing
for unaided Management Schools, Linguistic Minority
Institutions, Parents and Students submitted that the earlier
decision of this Court, namely, English Medium Students
Parents Association (supra) did not go into the medium of
C instruction and the issue therein was mother tongue/Kannada
as one of the language and parents/children have every right
to choose the medium according to their choice. In their view,
the High Court is fully justified in quashing those offending
clauses and there is no merit in any of the contentions raised
D by the State and other persons who are all supporting the stand
of the State.
Discussion:
15. We have carefully considered the rival contentions,
E perused the constitutional provisions, various clauses in the
impugned orders and decisions relied on by both sides.
16. The entire argument of both the sides is whether in
English Medium Students Parents Association (supra) the
F issue pertaining to medium of instruction was contested and a
decision was arrived at in that regard? In light of the above, it
is essential to comprehend the ratio laid down in the said
decision to arrive at a decision in this matter.
G 17. At the cost of repetition, it is useful to reiterate the
factual background of the English Medium Students Parents
Association (supra) for better comprehension. Government of .
Karnataka, wedded to the cause of promotion of Kannada
language, appointed a Committee of six persons with Dr. V.K.
Gokak as the Chairman and referred the following questions :
H
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG. OF PRIMARY 459
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS [P. SATHASIVAM, J.]
(i) Should Sanskrit remain as the subject for study in the A
school syllabus?
(ii) If so, how to retain it without its being an alternative for
Kannad~?
(iii) Would it be proper to have Kannada as a compulsory B
subject as per the three language formula and should the
option of selecting the remaining two languages be left to
students themselves?
. 18. The Committee submitted its report dated 27th c
January, 1981 which is popularly known as Dr. Gokak
Committee Report The gist of the recommendations is as
under:
(i) Kannada should be introduced as a compulsory subject
for all children from 3rd Standard;
0
(ii) Kannada should be the sole first language for the
Higher Secondary Schools (i.e., 8th, 9th and 10th
Standards) carrying 150 marks, and this should be
implemented for Kannada speaking people from 1981-82 E
itself and in respect of others from 1986-87, after taking
necessary steps to teach Kannada to them from the 3rd
standard from the academic year 1981-82 itself.
19. On a consideration of the abovesaid report, the State
F
Government passed an order dated 30.04.1982 drafting a
language policy, which stated that Kannada or mother tongue,
shall be the first language. Since it was felt that the order dated
30.04.1982 did not sufficiently reflect the aspirations of the
Kannada speaking people, the Government thought it
expedient to place the entire matter before the State G
Legislature. The State Legislature resolved that in the High
Schools, Kannada must be the sole first regional language
carrying 125 marks. In addition, a student might study any two
languages carrying 100 marks each. In accordance with the
H
460 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013) 7 S.C.R.
A above Resolution, the State Government made a~ order dated
20.07.1982 wherein the government directed that Kannada
shall be the sole first language. Aggrieved by the abovesaid
order, some of the educational institutions preferred writ
petitions in the High Court of Karnataka. It was contended that
B the order was violative of the rights of minorities under Articles
29 and 30 of the Constitution of India. Initially, when the writ
petitions came up for hearing before a Single Judge, the
matters were referred to a Division Bench. The Division Bench,
by order dated 27.01.1984 referred the abovesaid question to
C the Full Bench. The full Bench in General Secretary, Linguistic
Minorities Protection Committee (supra) expressed iis opinion ·
as follows:-
"8 ..... The Govt. Order dated 20th July, 1982 in so far it
relates to the making of study of Kannada as a compulsory
D subject to children belonging to linguistic minority groups
from the first year of the Primary School and compelling
the· Primary Schools established by Linguistic Minorities
to introduce it as a compulsory subject from the first year
of the Primary School and also in so far it compels the
E students joining High Schools to take Kannada as the sole
first language and compelling the high schools
established by linguistic minorities to introduce
Kannada as the sole first language in the Secondary
Schools, is violative of Articles 29(1), 30(1) and 14 of
F the Constitution."
After rendering such opinion, the matter was sent·back to the
Division Bench for disposal in accordance with the same and,
accordingly, the cases were dismissed by judgment dated
G 25.01.1989. Against this judgment, the State of Karnataka
came up in appeaf in Civil Appeal Nos. 2856-57 of 1989.
20. After the decision of the full Bench, pending the civil
appeal before this Court, the Government of KarnataKa issued
a GO dated 19.06.1989, prescribing the mother tongue shall
H
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG. OF PRIMARY 461
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS [P. SATHASIVAM, J.)
be the medium of instruction from 1st to 4th standard. The A
relevant paragraph of the said order is as under:-
"9 ...... Govt., are pleased to order that the following
language policy shall be implemented in the primary and
Secondary Schools pending final decision of the Supreme 8 .
Court.".
"From 1st Standard to IVth Standard, mother tongue
will be the medium of instruction, where it is expected
that normally only one language from Appendix-1 will be
the compulsory subject of study .... " C
The validity of the abovesaid GO was questioned in the Writ
Petition No. 536 of 1991 before this Court on the ground that
it is violative of Articles 29, 30 and 14 of the Constitution of
India. D
21. In the meantime, a corrigendum came to be issued on
22.06.1989, which reads as under:
"16 ... For para (i) of Order portion of the above said Govt.
order dated 19.6.1989 i.e., from the words "From 1st E
standard ... subject to study" the following para shall be
substituted: -
"From 1st standard to IVth standard, where it is
expected that normally mother tongue will be the
F
medium of instruction, only one language from
Appendix-I will be compulsory subject of study."
22. With this background, by order dated 08.12.1993, this
Court while upholding the GO dated 19.06.1989 dismissed the
writ petition being No. 536 of 1991 as devoid of merits. G
23. As regards the Civil Appeal Nos. 2856-57 of 1989 filed
against the full Bench decision of the High Court of Karnataka,
it was held that the majority opinion of the High Court has
H
462 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013] 7 S.C.R.
A approached the matter in a proper perspective and concluded
as under:-
"25 ...... We have no difficulty in upholding the well-
considered judgment of the High court. In fact, the State
has accepted the position and issued G.O. dated 19.6.89
B
which is impugned in W.P. No. 536 of 1991 . .Therefore,
the civil appeals will also dismissed. However, in the
circumstances of the case, there shall be no order as to
costs."
C 24. In the light of the aforesaid order dated 08.12.1993,
the Government of Karnataka issued revised Government
Orders dated 22.04.1994/29.04.1994 purporting to re-affirm its
policy set out in its earlier order dated 19.06.1989. Now, let us
test the contentions of the appellants and the respondents in
D light of the above verdict.
25. Learned senior counsel for the appellants contended
that GO dated 29.04.1994 is based on the judgment of the full
Bench of the Karnataka High Court as affirmed in English
E Medium Students Parents Association (supra) by this Court,
therefore, there is no infirmity in the same which came to be
passed in the light of GO dated 19.06.1989.
26. While it is argued from the side of the respondents that
judgment in English Medium Students Parents Association
F (supra) is with reference to the GO dated 19.06.1989 whereas
the subject matter of the present writ petition is the GO dated
29.04.1994. Further, it was submitted that in English Medium
Students Parents Association (supra) it was held that the order
dated 19.06.1989 is not open to challenge because there was
G no element of compulsion in studying Kannada at the primary
stage and that from standard 1st to 4th where mother tongue
will be the medium of instruction, only one language from
Schedule I thereof will be compulsory and further from standard
3rd onwards Kannada will be an optional subject for non-
H Kannada speaking students whereas the GO impugned in this
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG. OF PRIMARY 463
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS [P. SATHASIVAM, J.)
writ petition departs and deviates from the GO dated A
19.06.1989, the validity of which was upheld by this Court.
Kannada is covertly made compulsory by the present impugned
order under clause 2, 3, 6 & 8. Hence, the judgment of this Court
does not and cannot come in the way of considering the present
writ petition on merits. Therefore, the contention of the B
respondents is that the fundamental rights of citizens cannot be
infringed by the State taking shelter under the policy.
27. The full Bench of the High Court, by order dated
02.07.2008, decided the issue in the following words in the C
impugned judgment:-
"79. It cannot be disputed these clauses were
conspicuously missing in the Government order dated
19.06.1989. They are introduced for the first time in
Government Order dated 29.04.1994. the validity of these D
clauses were not the subject matter of earlier proceeding
either before this Court or Apex Court. The Constitutional
validity of these clauses was not challenged earlier, no
arguments were addressed for or against the said clauses,
neither this court nor the Apex Court considered the validity E
of these clauses nor any decision was rendered. It is for
the first time, the aforesaid clauses are challenged before
this Court. Therefore, the aforesaid decisions do not
conclude the matter in issue in this writ petition.
90. As is clear from the facts set out above in the aforesaid
F
Full Bench Judgment, the question for consideration was,
whether the Government Order making study of kannada
compulsory from the First Year of primary School in
addition to mother tongue of the land was violative of
Article 14, 29 and 30 of the Constitution and the G
Government Order prescribing Kannada as sole First
language at High School level was also violative of Article
14, 19 and 30 of the Constitution. In the Government Order
dated 19.06.1989, which was also the subject matter of
H
464 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013] 7 S.C.R
A the Writ petition under 32 of the Constitution of India before
the Supreme Court, the question was again only one
language from Appendix-I could be the compulsory subject
of study. The full Bench struck down the earlier Government
Order as there was compulsion to· study Kannada and
B therefore violative of Article 19, 21 and 30 which finding
was upheld by the Supreme Court. For the same reason
the Supreme Court declined to interfere with the
subsequent Government Order dated 19.06.1989 as there
was no compulsion to study any particular language from
c I to IV Standard, as is clear from Clause I of the
Government Order. Therefore, the ratio decedendi, of the
Judgment of the Apex Court as well as the full bench is "If
there is an element of compulsion in the Government
policy, which infringes the fundamental rights guaranteed
to the citizens of this country under the Indian Constitution,
·D
such policy is void and the fundamental rights have to
prevail over such governmental policy. In the absence of
such compulsion the courts should not interfere with the
policy decision of the Government. The question whether
a student, a parent or a citizen has a right to choose a
E medium of instruction at primary stage other than mother
tongue or regional language was not the subject matter of
the aforesaid proceedings and the said question was not
considered either by this court or by the Apex Court and
no decision rendered in the aforesaid proceedings on the
F said point. The casual expressions, observations,
conclusions and the suggestions made in the earlier full
bench judgment cannot be construed as a ratio decidendi,
especially in constitutional matters, as the said question
did not arise for consideration in the said case. Therefore
G the contention that the question involved in this Writ Petition
are squarely covered by the earlier decisions of this Court
and Apex Court is without any substance and accordingly
it is rejected."
28. In the line of above observation, the High Court
H
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG OF PRIMARY 465
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS [P. SATHASIVAM, J.]
accepted the contentions of the respondents that this Court in A
English Medium Students Parents Association (supra) did not
consider the issue raised in the present writ petition and went
on to deliver the impugned judgment.
29. After due consideration of the contentions of the 8
appellants and the respondents and reasoning of the High
Court in the impugned judgment dated 02.07.2008, we are of
the view that issue contemplated in the writ petition before the
High Court is not untouched by the decision in English Medium
Students Parents Association (supra). As already mentioned, C
Writ Petition No. 536 of 1991 was filed in order to challenge
the validity of the GO dated 19.06.1989 which proposed to
introduce mother tongue as the medium of instruction and the
same has been dismissed as devoid of merits. Hence, in view
of the above, this Court upheld the mother tongue as the
medium of instruction in the primary education. D
30. However, it is equally correct that the impugned GOs
dated 22.04.1994/29.04.~994 were not similar to GO dated
19.06.1989. Since the said impugned order reframed the
earlier order by adding few additional clauses, which were the E
matter of dispute in the writ petition before the High Court and
this Court, a reference to the contested clauses in the impugned
order shall be timely:-
"Proceedings of Government of Karnataka
Sub: Regarding implementation of languages Policy in
F
the primary and high schools.
Government Order No. ED 28 PGC 94
Bangalore dated 29.04.1994 ·
1. xxx G
2. The medium of instruction should be motl:1er tongue or
Kannada, with effect from the academic year 1994-95 in
all Government recognized schools in classes 1 to 4.
H
466 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2013) 7 S.C.R.
A 3. The students admitted to 1st standard with effect from
the academic year 94-95, should be taught in mother
tongue or Kannada medium.
6. Permission can be granted to only students whose
mother tongue is English, to study in English medium in
8
classes 1 to 4 in existing recognized English medium
schools.
8. It is directed that all unrecognized schools which do not
comply with the above conditions, will be closed down."
c
Therefore, the contention of the State is partly correct when it
says that the impugned GOs viz., 22.04.1994/29.04.1994 are
in -substance similar to GO dated 19.06.1989 since both the
GOs stipulated the need for the child to acquire the primary
0 education in the mother tongue. However, the additional
clauses inserted in the impugned order, viz., Clause Nos. 2, 3,
6 and 8 compels the child to study in mother tongue or regional
language which was seriously contested before the High Court
and this Court.
E 31. While deciding the validity of these additional clauses
in the impugned GO, the High Court further went on to state that
the question whether a student, a parent or a citizen has a right
to choose a medium of instruction at primary stage other than
mother tongue or regional language was not decided in the
F English Medium Students Parents Association (supra) case
and took the liberty to decide the same.
32. Observing the fact that a two-Judge Bench of this Court
has already arrived at a decision as to the question whether
G the medium of instruction should be that of mother tongue in
English Medium Students Parents Association (supra), we are
of the view that it is not appropriate to decide the very same
issue under different grounds by a Bench of same number of
judges. If we decide to accept the argument of the respondent
H that a student or a parent or a citizen has a right to choose a
STATE OF KARNATAKA v. ASSOC. MANAG. OF PRIMARY 467
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS [P. SATHASIVAM, J.]
medium of instruction at primary stage, we in substance will be A
contradicting the judgment in English Medium Students
Parents Association (supra), which upholds the mother tongue
as the medium of language.
33. Having given our most anxious consideration, we are B
of the opinion that it is a fit case for consideration by a larger
bench.
34. The crux of all the grounds raised in the petition is that
whether the mother tongue or the regional language can be
imposed by the State as the medium of instruction at the C
primary education stage.
35. The vital question involved in this petition has a far-
reaching significance on the development of the children in our
country who are the future adults. The primary school years of o
a child is an important phase in a child's education. Besides,
it moulds the thinking process and tutors on the communication
skills. Thus, primary education lays the groundwork for future
learning and success. Succinctly, the skills and values that
primary education instills are no less than foundational and E
serve as bases for all future learning. Likewise, the importance
of a language cannot be understated; we must recollect that
reorganization of States was primarily based on language.
Further, the issue involved in this case concerns about the
fundamental rights of not only the present generation but also
F
the generations yet to be born.
36. Considering the constitutional importance of these
questions, we are of the firm view that all these matters should
be heard by a Constitution Bench. With regard to the above,
the following questions are relevant for consideration by the G
Constitution Bench which are as under:-
(i) What does Mother tongue mean? If it referred to as
the language in which the child is comfortable with,
then who will decide the same?
H
468 SUPREME COURT REPORTS {2013] 7 S.C.R.
A (ii) Whether a student or a parent or a citizen has a
right to choose a medium of instruction at primary
stage?
(iii) Does the imposition of mother tongue in any way
affects the fundamental rights under Article 14, 19,
B
29 and 30 of the Constitution?
(iv) Whether the Government recognized schools are
inclusive of both government-aided schools and
private & unaided schools?
c
(v) Whether the State can by virtue of Article 350-A of
the Constitution compel the linguistic minorities to
choose their mother tongue only as medium of
instruction in primary schools?
D Apart from the above said issues, the Constitution Bench would
also take into consideration any other ancillary or incidental
questions which may arise during the course of hearing of the
case.
E 37. With regard to the above, all the connected matters
including petitions/applications shall be placed before the
Constitution Bench. Since the matter in issue started in the year
1994, early disposal of the case is desirable. Hence, the
Registry is directed to place the same before Hon'ble the Chief
F Justice of India for necessary directions.
~P. Matter referred to Constitution Bench.
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