The Supreme Court set a three-month deadline for the Tamil Nadu government to identify land for Navodaya Vidyalayas. It dismissed the state’s plea to recall a prior order, directing compliance without entertaining the language policy debate.
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu government to comply with its December 2025 order to identify land for establishing Navodaya Vidyalayas in the State within three months.
A bench led by Justice BV Nagarathna passed the direction after Tamil Nadu moved an application seeking recall of the December order. The Court did not entertain the State’s request for recall and directed it to comply with its earlier direction to identify land for establishing the schools.
About Navodaya Vidyalayas
Advocates G Priyadarshini and Rahul Shyam Bhandari, appearing for Kumari Maha Sabha, argued that Tamil Nadu could not deny students access to free education through Navodaya schools.
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are residential, co-educational schools under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, an autonomous organisation under the Union Education Ministry. The Central government describes the scheme as providing quality modern education to talented children, primarily from rural areas, irrespective of their socio-economic background.
The schools are intended to provide education in a residential setting, and the State government is required to provide suitable land for their establishment.
Legal Battle Over Language Policy
The issue had come before the Supreme Court in December 2025 after the petitioners sought establishment of Navodaya Vidyalayas in Tamil Nadu. During the December hearing, the Supreme Court had urged Tamil Nadu to hold discussions with the Centre on the establishment of the schools. The Court had also observed that the proposal should be seen as an opportunity for students and not as an imposition on the State.
The language issue had also figured during the hearing. Counsel for the petitioners seeking establishment of Navodaya schools told ANI that there is a State mandate requiring Tamil language to be taught in every school. Tamil Nadu has opposed the petitioners’ plea, contending that Tamil would not be taught in Navodaya schools and only Hindi would be taught.
The Supreme Court, however, did not enter into the language debate during Thursday’s proceedings. The issue had already been considered during the December hearing.
The petitioners have maintained that students in Tamil Nadu should also have access to the education provided through Navodaya Vidyalayas.
The matter originated from a plea filed by petitioner Kumari Maha Sabha before the Madras High Court seeking establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in Tamil Nadu.
The Madras High Court, in September 2017, directed the State to establish Navodaya schools in all districts. The High Court had also examined Tamil Nadu’s objections concerning the language policy of the schools and held that their establishment would not conflict with the State’s Tamil language law. It directed the State to identify suitable land and take steps for setting up the schools.
The State of Tamil Nadu challenged the High Court’s order before the Supreme Court in 2017. The Supreme Court subsequently stayed the High Court’s directions.
The matter remained before the apex court and came up for consideration again in December 2025.
During the December 2025 hearing, the Supreme Court urged Tamil Nadu to hold discussions with the Centre on establishing Navodaya Vidyalayas in the State. The Court also viewed the proposal as an opportunity for students rather than an imposition on the State. (ANI)
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