High Court Mandates Santhali Language Instruction: Strengthening Constitutional Rights of Linguistic Minorities
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The High Court has directed the state to provide primary education in the Santhali language using the Ol Chiki script in tribal-dominated regions. This ruling reinforces Article 350A of the Constitution, ensuring that linguistic minorities can preserve their distinct culture through mother-tongue instruction.
In a landmark judgment aimed at protecting the cultural and educational rights of tribal communities, the High Court has mandated that the state government provide primary education in the Santhali language, specifically using the Ol Chiki script, in regions with significant tribal populations. The court emphasized that the state is constitutionally obligated to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education.
The judgment primarily draws upon Article 350A of the Indian Constitution, which was inserted by the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956. This article serves as a special directive for the protection of linguistic minorities, stating that every state and local authority must endeavor to provide instruction in the mother tongue to children belonging to linguistic minority groups. The court noted that for the Santhal community—one of India's largest scheduled tribes—language is not merely a tool for communication but a vital repository of their history, folklore, and social identity.
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