Who is considered as a “linguistic minority” in Karnataka? The High Court posed this question to State Advocate-General on Thursday during the hearing of petitions filed by two schools seeking exemption from application of RTE Act to them as they come under the “linguistic minority quota”.
Noting that the institutions notified under the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act get the status of “religious minority”, Justice B.V. Nagarathna said that there is no clarity on what makes an institution a “linguistic minority institution”.
“This has to be cleared first before we go into other issues,” the court said.
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The court posed the question after A-G Ravivarma Kumar contended that the State government has the power to determine the “linguistic minority status” of schools based on the prescribed percentage of population of a particular linguistic minority community. He assured the court that he would submit details on determination of the linguistic minorities in the State.
The court also observed that there is a clamour to get minority status by schools to escape from earmarking 25 per cent of their seats under the RTE Act.
While adjourning hearing till April 12, the court directed the petitioner schools – Coorg Public School, Gonikoppa, run by Kodagu Academy for Education and Culture; and Citizen School, Hoskote in Bengaluru – not to fill 25 per cent of their seats till further orders. The court also asked the State not initiate any action against them for the alleged violation of RTE Act.
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Court was hearing petitions filed by
two schools seeking exemption from
RTE Act