Supreme Court orders Tamil Nadu to identify land for Navodaya schools, urges language dialogue

During a hearing on Navodaya schools, the Supreme Court reminded Tamil Nadu of its Dec 15 2025 order to earmark land for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district, extending the deadline by three months. Justices BV Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih warned the state against seeing the centrally funded institutions as a threat to its education system and stressed the need for cooperative federalism. The judges rejected the notion that Hindi cannot be taught in Tamil Nadu, suggesting the language dispute be settled through dialogue between the state and Centre.

Tamil Nadu’s counsel argued the three-language policy conflicted with the state’s two-language stance and raised financial concerns over land acquisition, while the Centre’s solicitor noted construction costs would be borne centrally. The court also dismissed claims that the schools would lower educational standards, stating they would simply add an additional option. The matter is slated for further hearing on Dec 14.