CHENNAI: The union government on Friday informed the Madras High Court that funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme could be released to Tamil Nadu only if it signs the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme as per the National Education Policy (NEP).
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan, representing the centre, made the submission when a public interest litigation petition filed by V Eswaran of Coimbatore seeking a direction to commence the admissions under Right to Education (RTE) Act for the upcoming academic year came up for hearing before the vacation bench of justices GR Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan.
“An MoU has to be signed between the central government and the respective state governments. A number of state governments have signed it and the funds have been released. As far as TN is concerned, they have not yet signed it, and therefore, funds are not released,” Sundaresan told the bench.
Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran, appearing for the state government, called it a “big brother attitude” to say that funds would be released only if the MoU is signed.
The bench asked the ASG whether an MoU could be framed without the conditions to implement the three-language policy or NEP.
He said he could reply only after discussing it with the department concerned and that would require time.
Sundaresan also informed the court that as per sub-section 6 of section 7 of RTE Act, the central government shall develop a framework of national curriculum with the help of academic authorities specified under section 29 and therefore it is a body that looks into NEP, which is applicable across the country.
The bench reserved the orders and directed the AAG to submit the minutes of the meeting of the government authorities scheduled for May 28 to discuss the issue.