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Chennai, Dec 2 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu BJP has called for the immediate establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in the State, following the Supreme Court's strong directive, urging the State and Union Governments to hold meaningful consultations on the long-pending issue.

A Division Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan fixed December 15 as the next hearing date, signalling that the judiciary expects concrete progress.

In a statement, BJP spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad said the Apex Court's observation left "no room for excuses" and served as a reminder that the constitutional right to quality education under Article 21A cannot be compromised by political considerations.

The dispute dates back to 2017, when the Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu Government to provide land and infrastructure for establishing one fully functional JNV in every district.

The order, hailed at the time as a major step for educational equity, was later stayed on technical grounds.

"Eight years later, Tamil Nadu stands as the only State without a single JNV, denying 1.2 crore rural children access to a world-class, completely free residential education," Prasad said.

He dismissed the state's long-standing objections relating to the "two-language policy" and fears of "Hindi imposition".

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti guidelines clearly permit Tamil as the medium of instruction up to Class VIII, as the first language in Classes IX and X, and as an optional subject in higher secondary classes.

Prasad pointed out that Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh host more than 30 JNVs collectively without compromising their linguistic identity.

Citing national data, he noted that 662 JNVs are operational across the country, consistently posting a 100 per cent pass rate in CBSE examinations.

The schools offer 75 per cent reservation for rural students, 33 per cent for girls, and additional weightage for SC/ST candidates, making them "India's most successful model for social mobility."

Prasad emphasised that under the Concurrent List, the Union Government is empowered to establish and fund JNVs, while the State's responsibility is limited to allocating 10–15 acres of land and providing basic infrastructure - commitments every other State has fulfilled.

Calling it a test of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's commitment to social justice, he urged the government to set up a high-level committee within seven days, identify land parcels in at least ten educationally backward districts, and submit a detailed action-taken report before the Supreme Court on December 15.

"Let history record that Tamil Nadu chose its children's future over political ego," Prasad said.

--IANS

aal/svn