The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday ordered notice to Union Ministry of Human Resource Development as well as the School Education Department of the State Government on a public interest litigation petition seeking establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in all districts in the State.
A Division Bench of Justices A. Selvam and N. Authinathan passed the order on the PIL petition preferred by Kumari Maha Sabha through its secretary Jeyakumar Thomas who pointed out that the economically weaker sections of society would be able to provide quality education to their children at a reasonable cost only at JNVs.
According to the petitioner, the JNVs were run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, an autonomous organisation under the MHRD. They were fully residential and co-educational schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and their aim was to identify talented children in rural areas and groom them well.
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“Navodaya Vidyalaya system is a unique experiment unparalleled in the annals of school education in the country. Its significance lies in providing best residential school system irrespective of a child’s economic condition. Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas exist all over India but for Tamil Nadu where anti-Hindi movements were widespread during the past,” the petitioner said.
Further, pointing out that the JNVs follow the three language formula of teaching the regional language, English as well as Hindi, he said that the Centre may not have any issues in establishing such schools if the State Government was willing to offer necessary infrastructure including suitable land free of cost in every district.