The Karnataka government on Friday, July 3, 2020, told the High Court that the expert committee set up to advise the state on online classes will submit its report on July 6. Advocate-General Prabhuling K. Navadgi made these submissions during the hearing of petitions filed by parents and education institutions challenging the government’s decision of banning online classes and its subsequent decision to allow limited sessions of online education up to class 10.

Senior Counsel Udaya Holla, who appeared for private schools affiliated to CBSE, ISCE and international curriculum said that the state government cannot impose restrictions on online education to these schools under the provisions of the Karnataka Education Act. He added that the Karnataka government is moving in the reverse direction when international organisations such as UNICEF and the World Bank are emphasising on continuing online education.

He also said that, “We are living in the silicon valley of India and if our government does not want our children to get education during this pandemic, then only god can save us.”

The decision to chose the medium of education such as language and other modalities is the domain of parents as per the apex court’s verdict and the state government cannot interfere adding that the government has no control over private institutions.

Any recommendation to be made by the expert committee would be only recommendatory and cannot be made mandatory on private unaided educational institutions.

Source: The Hindu

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