Journalism of Courage
Supreme Court issues notice to education secretary on religious education plea
The Supreme Court was hearing a plea by an advocate who had sought its intervention to regulate institutions providing religious education to children under the age of 14.
On May 11, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to look into the advocate's plea and 'take an appropriate decision thereon within two months'. (File Photo)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to Union Education Secretary T K Anil Kumar on a plea seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings for allegedly failing to comply with its direction to consider a representation for recognition and monitoring of institutions imparting religious education to children below 14 years.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu issued the notice on a plea by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. He had earlier approached the court seeking its intervention to regulate institutions providing religious education to children under the age of 14.
On May 11, the Supreme Court disposed of the plea, with a direction to the Centre “to look into the representation of the petitioner…and take an appropriate decision thereon within two months”. It also asked the government to communicate the decision taken to the petitioner without any delay.
Upadhyay contended that though he forwarded his representation and the court order to the concerned authorities, he did not receive any response, leaving him with no option but to approach the court again with the contempt petition.
What the advocate said in his plea
The plea said that while Article 21 A of the Constitution guarantees the right to quality of education, it cannot be ensured in unrecognised institutions, which don’t have any criteria for appointing teachers or syllabus audits.
Upadhyay contended that there were many unregistered institutions where students were being brainwashed or manipulated, thereby making it an issue of national security.
Underlining that the safety and security of children is paramount, he said that the state must prevent child trafficking by non-recognised institutions by preventing it at the threshold. The plea added that the state cannot effectively implement welfare schemes in unrecognised institutions, and hence, all educational institutions must be registered, recognised, and monitored.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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