Kerala HC stays Lakshadweep administration’s order to remove Mahal, Arabic from school curriculum

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has stayed the Lakshadweep administration’s recent decision to remove Mahal and Arabic from the curriculum of schools in the Union Territory.

The division bench, chaired by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji, stayed the administration’s decision.

“The point emphasized by the Petitioner, which prima facie, we find merit in, is that for the implementation of the (National Education) Policy in a particular area, there has to be an application of mind and a study of local conditions to determine what is best for the educational interests of the community, in order to achieve the objectives of the Policy. The Policy itself contemplates such an application of mind, noting that various factors are involved in the said decision. As contended by the learned counsel for the Petitioner, a language holds deep cultural significance, and any changes could have serious ramifications,” said the Court.

The Court pointed out, “Ordinarily, the Court would not interfere in matters of education policy, particularly with respect to the selection of languages in the curriculum. However, this is self-restraint based on the premise that decisions relating to education policy are made by experts in the field after an in-depth study and wide consultation,” added the Bench.

Incidentally, it was on May 14th, the Education Department of the Union Territory issued the order removing the two languages under the 2023 National Curriculum Framework (NCF), which is part of the 2020 National Education Policy (NEP).

According to the order, all schools in Minicoy island will offer Malayalam and English as the first and second languages, and Hindi will replace the local language Mahal and Arabic as the third language.

This led to widespread protests on the islands.

It was against this order that a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by Ajas Akber, a social worker and President of the Lakshadweep Unit of the National Students Union of India.

The petitioner pointed out that Mahal is the exclusive language spoken by Minicoy islanders, and it symbolises their tradition and culture.

He went on to further point out that Mahal was being taught only in primary classes and was a foundation course to consolidate and uphold the tradition and culture of Minicoy, which happens to be a pure linguistic minority among the Union Territory.

Akber also pointed out that by removing the Mahal from the curriculum, the Lakshadweep administration has placed an open challenge to the constitutional rights of a minority community, which has distinct traditions and culture.

The Court, after hearing both parties, stayed the order for the pendency of the PIL and left it open to the Lakshadweep Administration to conduct appropriate studies on the issue.

“It is open to the Union Territory to conduct a study of the local conditions in the context of the prevailing Education Policies and to engage with all the stakeholders through a meaningful process of consultation (not merely for the purpose of record). If such studies and consultations are carried out, it will be open to the Respondents to apply for appropriate orders, and such application will be considered on its own merits,” read the Court order.

IANS