Supreme Court asks Tamil Nadu to identify land for Navodaya Schools
The Supreme Court has given the Tamil Nadu government three months to comply with its earlier direction to identify land for setting up Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas across the state’s districts.
A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and A Masih also urged the Centre and Tamil Nadu to resolve their differences over issues including language and education funding through discussions.
The court was hearing Tamil Nadu’s challenge to a 2017 Madras High Court order directing the state to identify suitable locations and provide land and buildings for Navodaya schools.
The Supreme Court had earlier, in December 2025, directed the state to identify the required land. During Thursday’s hearing, Tamil Nadu sought reconsideration of that direction, but the bench granted three months for compliance instead.
Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta, representing Tamil Nadu, told the court that the state’s principal concern related to the language policy followed in Navodaya schools. He said the objection was not to Hindi being taught but to its role as the predominant language at higher levels.
Justice Nagarathna noted that Hindi is already taught in several schools in Tamil Nadu and suggested that the language-related differences could be discussed with the Centre.
The judge also emphasised that education is part of the Concurrent List and stressed the importance of cooperation between the Union and state governments.
The bench said the introduction of additional educational institutions should be viewed as an opportunity to expand educational options for students rather than as a threat to existing institutions.
The Centre’s Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj said the Union government would bear the expenses for establishing and operating the schools once the state provided land.
Tamil Nadu, however, also raised the issue of pending education-related funds, with Gupta referring to Rs 5,000 crore that the state said had been promised by the Centre. The court encouraged officials from both sides to engage in discussions and find common ground on the outstanding issues.