The Supreme Court has instructed the Rajasthan government to establish a comprehensive policy for implementing mother tongue-based education. This includes introducing Rajasthani as a subject in schools across the state. The Court emphasized the importance of understanding and being understood in one’s own language for meaningful participation in society.
The Court overturned a Rajasthan High Court order that had rejected a plea to include Rajasthani in the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET), 2021 syllabus. It stressed that language is fundamental to an individual’s essence and holds constitutional significance in a law-governed society.
Education, according to the Court, is a transformative force that can uplift individuals and drive personal, social, and economic development. It highlighted the inseparable link between quality education and the language of instruction.
The Supreme Court underscored that education must be intelligible, inclusive, and empowering. It pointed out that the right to education in a language the child understands best is encompassed within the right to freedom of speech and expression.
Expressing concern over the deficient implementation of mother tongue-based education policies, the Court urged the Rajasthan government to take concrete steps to promote Rajasthani as a medium of instruction. It criticized the government’s narrow approach of limiting language teaching to those listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
