The Supreme Court of India has directed the Rajasthan government to formulate a policy for making the teaching of the Rajasthani language mandatory in schools across the state — covering both government and private institutions at the primary, secondary, and higher education levels. The bench also sought a compliance report from the state government by 30 September.

What the Court Ordered

A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta delivered the ruling while hearing a Special Leave Petition filed by Padma Mehta and others. The petition was filed against a Rajasthan High Court judgment that had rejected the petitioners' plea, holding that it could not issue a writ of mandamus on a matter of educational policy.

The apex court observed that Rajasthani carries rich historical, literary, and cultural significance and has already received recognition in several universities and higher educational institutions across India. It directed the state government to formulate a clear policy integrating Rajasthani into the state's educational framework.

The Petitioners' Case

The petitioners argued that approximately 4.36 crore people speak Rajasthani, according to the 2011 Census, and that the language possesses a substantial literary and cultural heritage. Despite this, Rajasthani has not been included either as a medium of instruction or in the structure of the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET).

The petitioners also reminded the court that on 25 August 2003, the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution recommending the inclusion of Rajasthani in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution — a step that has not been acted upon at the national level in over two decades.

What the State Government Said

Additional Advocate General Shiv Mangal Sharma, representing the state government, submitted that the issue falls within the domain of government policy and that an appropriate decision would be taken at the right time. The state clarified that it had never opposed the inclusion of Rajasthani in the education system.

In its earlier response, the government stated that Rajasthani was not part of the approved curriculum framework for primary and upper primary schools and was therefore not included in the REET syllabus. The state also informed the court that implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) is under consideration and that measures related to mother-tongue education and inclusion of regional languages are being examined in a phased manner.

Broader Context

Although Hindi remains the official language of Rajasthan under the Rajasthan Official Language Act of 1956, Rajasthani's exclusion from formal education has long been a grievance among linguistic rights advocates. This is not the first legal attempt to secure official recognition for the language — the 2003 Assembly resolution and repeated petitions to include it in the Eighth Schedule reflect a decades-long campaign.

Notably, the Supreme Court's intervention marks a significant departure from the High Court's position that courts cannot direct educational policy. The apex court's direction to submit a compliance report by September 30 suggests it intends to monitor implementation closely. How the Rajasthan government frames and enforces this policy — particularly in private schools — will be the decisive test of whether the order translates into meaningful change on the ground.