SC refuses to stay HC's order on TN uniform education system

Updated on: Saturday, July 23, 2011

In a setback to the Jayalalithaa Government, the Supreme Court refused to stay the Madras High Court order quashing an amendment to the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act aimed at scrapping the curriculum approved by the previous DMK regime.

A pision bench of justices J M Panchal, Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan also asked the state government to distribute over 9 crore text books, printed as per the course curriculum, approved by the previous government.

It, however, allowed the government to distribute the books by August 2, instead of July 22 fixed by the High Court. The bench decided to hear the matter further on July 26.

The apex court passed the direction while rejecting the arguments of senior counsel P P Rao, who, appearing for the state, said the judgement ought to be stayed as distribution of nine crore-odd text books was totally inadvisable.

The state government had moved the apex court on Tuesday, a day after the Madras High Court directed the state government to implement a uniform education system for 2011-12 academic year and struck down an amendment to the Act to put on hold the scheme introduced by the DMK government.

Quoting from the report of an expert committee appointed by the apex court, Rao submitted that the text books, which praised DMK and its leaders, particularly its MP and 2G spectrum scam accused Kanimozhi, were prepared in haste.

"The text books are of sub-standard nature and prepared in haste and hurry. They are atrocious," the counsel said.

Rao's arguments, however, failed to convince the court which refused to stay the judgement but assured him that it will hear the matter at length since it involves the future of 1.2 crore-odd students.

SC refuses to stay HC's order on TN uniform education system

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