Why not have Kannada as a compulsory language in all types of school in the State?
The Karnataka High Court posed this question to the Government during a brief argument on the issue of Education Department’s notification of November 2014 in which provision was made to submit applications for starting new schools only in Kannada medium and not for English medium schools.
The Court posed the question when it was pointed out to it that the State, despite the Supreme Court’s verdict that declared as “unconstitutional” language policy of compulsory medium of instruction in Kannada medium from standard one to five in schools, is still firm on imposing such policy in different indirect ways.
Difficulties
Justice B.V. Nagarathna, before whom the petition filed by Associated Managements of Government Recognised English Medium Schools in Karnataka questioning the November 11, 2014 notification came up for hearing, orally pointed out the difficulties that the students face when they have to shift to English medium after compulsorily studying in Kannada medium till standard five. The judge also discussed the difficulties that the children face when their parents are transferred to other States if they are forced to study only in Kannada medium.
