The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Meeting discusses verdict on language policy

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Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Meeting discusses verdict on language policy

B.S. Ramesh

A decision on the issue can be taken only after copy of the 319-page judgment is secured

BANGALORE: A preliminary meeting of officials of the Education Department was held in Bangalore on Monday to discuss the verdict of the Karnataka High Court on the contentious issue of medium of instruction.

Chaired by Education Minister Visveshwar Hegde Kageri, the meeting was attended by top department officials apart from representatives of the legal fraternity.

The meeting traced the history of the language policy and also the events that led to the State prescribing Kannada or any other regional language (eight languages, including Kannada, English, Tamil and Telugu) as the medium of instruction.

At the meeting, discussions covered the background in which the language policy was formulated in 1994 and how the Gokak Committee report came to be modified.

Though the committee had recommended that teaching of Kannada should start from Class 3 onwards, pro-Kannada activists and organisations had successfully ensured that Kannada be taught from Class 1.

The meeting also discussed the proposal of having more than one appeal filed in the Supreme Court. As the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) and Sarojini Mahishi and several individuals and organisations had contested the case before the High Court, it was felt that it would be more appropriate if these parties could file special leave petitions (SLP) before the Supreme Court by themselves.

It was said at the meeting that a firm decision on the issue could be taken only after a certified copy of the 319-page judgment was secured. The Education and Law departments would have to study the judgment in detail before giving their opinion. Only then could the grounds of appeal against the High Court order be formulated and a special leave petition filed in the Supreme Court.

Some of the proposals discussed at the preliminary meeting and discussions would on Tuesday be conveyed to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Adjourned

A single judge of the High Court on Monday adjourned several petitions by schools and individuals challenging the refusal by the State to permit them to teach in English. Several petitions challenging the withdrawal of recognition were also adjourned. In all these cases, the State policy on medium of instruction is under challenge.

The single judge adjourned the case as a copy of the Full Bench judgment is yet to be released. The single judge and even a Division Bench would now have to give judgments within the framework of the Full Bench judgment.

On its part, the State, too, cannot now reject any application by either an institution or an individual to start an English-medium school saying that it violates the medium of instruction.

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