'Change....mindset on Hindi': SC tells Tamil Nadu in Navodaya case
What's the story
The Supreme Court has asked the Tamil Nadu government to change its mindset toward teaching Hindi in schools within the state. The court's remarks came during a hearing on the establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in Tamil Nadu, which the state government has opposed. The central co-educational residential schools are funded by the Union Ministry of Education and run by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti.
Policy conflict
Justice Nagarathna's remarks on Tamil Nadu's mindset
The Tamil Nadu government has raised concerns about the three-language policy of Navodaya schools, which includes Hindi, saying it is in conflict with the state's two-language policy.
Today, Justice BV Nagarathna remarked that the state needs to change its mindset.
"It can't be that Hindi will not be taught in the soil of Tamil Nadu," she said.
The court also emphasized that Chennai residents shouldn't alienate those in Delhi and vice versa.
Plea hearing
High Court directed TN to set up JNVs
"We are saying in addition to all the good things you're doing in your State, having something in addition will not bring down your standards. Coming from Delhi will not lower the standards of Chennai. People in Chennai should not alienate Delhi and vice versa," the court said.
The Supreme Court was hearing Tamil Nadu's plea against a Madras High Court order directing the state to set up Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district.
Land directive
Court gives TN 3 more months to comply with order
The high court had ruled that Navodaya Vidyalayas don't violate the Tamil Nadu Tamil Learning Act.
The court also said the state's refusal limited students' right to choose educational institutions and asked for temporary accommodation for 240 students per district.
The state then approached the SC.
But in December 2025, the top court had ordered Tamil Nadu to identify land for Navodaya Vidyalayas in each district within six weeks.
The state has since sought to recall this order.
Policy compliance
State's argument
Today, the top court refused to recall the order and gave the state three more months to comply with its earlier directive.
Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta, representing Tamil Nadu, argued, "It is against the state policy. It supersedes Tamil....It is not Central government school. It is a school run by...society. There is an adamancy that Hindi must predominate."
Gupta said cooperative federalism can never work in one direction and that such matters of policy cannot be enforced by the court.
Dialogue emphasis
'Today it is education, tomorrow it will be something else'
However, the court insisted on making land available for school construction.
"Today it is education, tomorrow it will be something else. You have to relax...rigidity in your mind," it said.
When Gupta submitted that the expenditure for these schools would ultimately have to be borne by the state since the central government's track record is "abysmal," the court said, "Have a dialogue. If there is any difficulty after the dialogue, you tell us."
The next hearing is on December 14.