Ahmedabad: In response to a PIL filed by Matrubhasha Abhiyan, the Gujarat high court on Tuesday sought clarification from the government of Gujarat on the implementation of the 2018 policy which made the teaching of the Gujarati language mandatory in all primary schools across the state from the academic year 2018-19.

Petitioner argued in the court that with more and more schools offering education in the English language, and Gujrati medium schools decreasing, learning of Gujarati language has been adversely struck by this.

Petitioner also argued in the court that the state government has not made efforts to implement the policy in CBSC, ICSE and International Baccalaureate(IB) affiliated schools. Citing the recommendations of the Kothari commission and Insistence on the three-language formula In the New Education Policy of 2020, the lawyer argued that its implementation has been a problem in Gujarat.

Regarding the implementation of the 2018 policy In CBSC, ICSE and IB-affiliated schools, the Gujrat government requested the High court to question respective boards. The court said that Government is responsible for making as well as implementing the policies and asked them to explain why it wants to remain at the mercy of the boards for teaching the Gujrati language. The matter will now be heard on October 18.

State of Maharashtra and Telangana have already made policies as well as passed legislation in their respective assemblies making the teaching of local languages mandatory in accordance with article 29 of the constitution.

DeshGujarat