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Policy that excluded Mahl, Arabic from Lakshadweep schools deferred by Kerala High Court

The new language policy was set to be implemented at schools on the islands from July 1

2 min readThiruvananthapuramUpdated: Jun 11, 2025 07:52 AM IST

The petitioner had argued that the decision was taken by the director of education without conducting any study on its implications on the education system in Lakshadweep (Archive)

In an interim order, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court deferred the implementation of a policy under which Mahl and Arabic were excluded as optional languages at schools in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.

The Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji acted upon a public interest litigation moved by Ajas Akber, the president of the Lakshadweep unit of the National Students Union of India. He had sought orders to the islands’ administration to desist from terminating or removing Arabic and Mahl as optional languages under the three-language formula.

The court said the order on the language was issued without conducting any study, and so its implementation is deferred. “The position which has existed so far (in respect of CBSE and non-CBSE schools) in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep shall continue,” the court said.

The new language policy was set to be implemented at schools on the islands from July 1.

The petitioner had argued that the decision was taken by the director of education without consultation with stakeholders and without conducting any study on its implications on the education system in Lakshadweep. The education system in Lakshadweep for the past 70 years had the option of Arabic or Mahl as a third language. With regard to Minicoy Island, the Mahl language holds a distinct cultural identity.

The court said it is open to the Union Territory conducting 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.

The Lakshadweep administration told the court that no study had been carried out before issuing the controversial order. The administration made reference to the National Education Policy 2020 issued by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage 2022, and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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