The Supreme Court has recently declined to entertain a plea from the NGO Social Jurist concerning the conditions of state-run schools in Madhya Pradesh.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra advised the NGO to approach the Madhya Pradesh High Court for relief.
The bench stated, “The petitioner would be at liberty to move the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution. The petition is accordingly dismissed with the grant of liberty in the above terms.”
In its petition, the NGO included photographs that depicted the “poor” conditions of five schools in the Khajuraho district. Lawyer Ashok Agarwal, representing Social Jurist, noted, “These are only samples which clearly indicate that lakhs of students enrolled in Madhya Pradesh government-run schools are studying in dangerous buildings that lack adequate desks, benches, and proper water supply.”
The plea called for improvements to the school infrastructure, stating that government schools should have state-of-the-art facilities. It raised serious concerns about hygiene, mentioning that no sweepers are assigned to the schools, leading to unsanitary washroom conditions.
The petition also highlighted a significant shortage of teachers in relation to the number of enrolled students, urging the Madhya Pradesh government to promptly address the staffing issue.
According to the petition, the unsatisfactory and unhygienic conditions of these schools violate students’ right to education as guaranteed under Articles 14, 21, and 21-A of the Constitution, which encompass the right to equality, the protection of life and personal liberty, and the right to free and compulsory education.
Furthermore, the petition criticized the use of synthetic materials for school uniforms, warning that they may cause skin problems for students.
“The inactions as highlighted show the Madhya Pradesh government flagrantly violating the human and fundamental rights to education of students,” the plea asserted, seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention to treat the petition as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and issue necessary directives to the state government.
The court’s refusal to take up the case underscores the importance of addressing educational infrastructure issues at the state level while placing responsibility on local jurisdictions to ensure that the rights of students are upheld.
As the NGO considers its next steps in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the plight of students in the region continues to draw attention to the urgent need for reforms in public education.
