The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking the framing of a national yoga policy and making it compulsory for students of classes 1 to 8 across the country.
A Bench headed by Justice M.B. Lokur said it was for the government to take a decision.
“We have no authority to say what has to be taught in schools. It is none of our business. How can we direct that,” the Bench asked
The court said it was not possible for it to grant the relief as sought by petitioners — Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a lawyer and Delhi BJP spokesperson and J.C. Seth.
“What is to be taught in schools is not a fundamental right,” it said.
Mr. Upadhyay had sought a direction to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, NCERT, NCTE and the CBSE to “provide standard textbooks of ‘yoga and health education’ for students of Class 1 to 8 keeping in spirit various fundamental rights such as right to life, education and equality.”
The court, on November 29, 2016, asked the Centre to treat the petition as a representation and take a decision.
The plea said, “State has an obligation to provide health facilities to all the citizens, especially to children and adolescents. In a welfare state, it is obligation of the State to ensure the creation and sustenance of conditions congenial to good health.”
It said that right to health cannot be secured without providing ‘yoga and health education’ to all children or framing a ‘national yoga policy’ to promote and propagate it.
