Parents move HC against mandatory learning of Kannada in CBSE/CICSE schools in Karnataka

Over 20 parents of children studying in CBSE/CICSE schools in Karnataka have moved the high court against the state government’s decision to teach Kannada in schools as a mandate. The high court, in response, has issued a notice to the state government. The petitioners have moved the high court against the Kannada Language Learning Act 2015, The Kannada Language Learning Rules 2017 and the Karnataka Educational Institutions (Issue of No-Objection Certificate and Control Rules) 2022 by which learning Kannada as a first, second or third language is mandatory for students. “The aforesaid enactments severely and prejudicially affect the right of school children studying in the State of Karnataka to study a First, Second and Third language of their choice. This has grave ramifications on the academic outcome of the students and stands to prejudicially affect their academic and employment opportunities in the future,” the petition stated. The petitioners are Somashekar C, Srinivas Gaonkar, Geraldine Perpetua Andrews, Aneesha Hussain and 16 other parents, all from Bengaluru. Meanwhile, the respondents are the State of Karnataka, the Union of India, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CICSE). The petition was heard by a division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice M G S Kamal, who ordered issuing the notices. With inputs from PTI