Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government is all set to pass a bill in the Assembly on Tuesday for making the Gujarati language teaching mandatory from Class I to VIII at the government schools in the state. The move comes in view of a reprimand by the Gujarat High Court to the State government over the matter.
The bill to be introduced in the Gujarat Assembly to make Gujarati teaching compulsory at the schools has envisaged a fine and jail for the school authorities in case of non-compliance once it becomes a law. There will be a provision of two financial penalties on the school initially. If the school is found not teaching Gujarati even for the third time, there is a provision of a daily fine in the bill.
Also read: Gujarat govt to introduce a bill making Gujarati language mandatory from class 1 to 8
The bill comes following directions by the Gujarat High Court to the State government to introduce a bill in the Gujarat Assembly making the Gujarati language mandatory for the students of classes I to VIII in the State. Hearing a PIL over the matter, a bench of Chief Justice Sonia Gokani and Justice Sandeep Bhatt directed the Bhupendra Patel-led BJP government in Gujarat to enact a law making the teaching of local languages mandatory in schools.
Following the orders by the Gujarat High Court, the State government held an emergency meeting of the Working Advisory Committee on February 22 in this regard. Later in the day, Gujarat government spokesperson and Minister Rishikesh Patel confirmed that three bills, including a bill for making the Gujarati language compulsory in schools will be tabled in the Gujarat Assembly on February 28. Apart from all state board schools, even the institutions affiliated with the CBSE and International Board will also be covered under the bill.
