Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Supreme Court Gives Tamil Nadu Three Months for Navodaya Land
The Supreme Court wants Tamil Nadu to find land for Navodaya schools in every district.
The court had first issued this direction in December 2025.
Tamil Nadu asked the court to cancel that direction, but the judges refused.
The state now has three months to identify the land.
Tamil Nadu is worried about the schools’ three-language curriculum.
The state says it is not against children learning Hindi.
The central government said it would take care of everything except providing the land.
The court asked Tamil Nadu and the Centre to discuss the issue and work together.
The Supreme Court directed Tamil Nadu to identify land for Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district.
The order follows the court’s December 15, 2025 direction, which Tamil Nadu asked the court to recall.
The state has been given three months to comply, subject to the outcome of its special leave petition.
Tamil Nadu has raised concerns about the schools’ three-language curriculum but says it does not oppose Hindi education.
The Centre said Tamil Nadu only needs to provide land, while it will handle the schools’ other requirements.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Tamil Nadu government, the central government, and representatives of both sides.
- What
- The Supreme Court directed Tamil Nadu to identify land for establishing Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district.
- When
- The direction was issued on September 17, 2026, following the court’s December 15, 2025 order.
- Where
- In Tamil Nadu, across each district of the state.
- Why
- The court said Tamil Nadu must comply with its earlier direction and emphasized cooperative federalism and dialogue between the Centre and the state.
Tamil Nadu’s Concerns
Centre and Supreme Court’s Position
School establishment
Tamil Nadu’s Concerns
Tamil Nadu has opposed the schools because of concerns about the three-language curriculum, while saying it is not opposed to Hindi being taught.
Centre and Supreme Court’s Position
The Centre said the state’s only requirement is to provide land, and the Supreme Court said the schools would enhance educational opportunities without lowering Tamil Nadu’s standards.
Recall of the earlier order
Tamil Nadu’s Concerns
Tamil Nadu filed an application seeking recall of the Supreme Court’s December 15, 2025 direction and challenged the earlier Madras High Court directive.
Centre and Supreme Court’s Position
The Supreme Court declined to recall its order and gave the state three months to identify the required land, subject to the special leave petition’s outcome.
Centre-state relations
Tamil Nadu’s Concerns
Tamil Nadu has maintained objections linked to the schools’ curriculum and policy implications.
Centre and Supreme Court’s Position
The Supreme Court stressed cooperative federalism, urged dialogue, and asked the Centre and Tamil Nadu to work together.
- Court
- Supreme Court of India
- Bench
- Justices B V Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih
- Current deadline
- Three months to identify the required land
- Earlier direction
- The December 15, 2025 order required land identification in every district and referred to a six-week exercise.
- Tamil Nadu’s position
- The state has opposed establishing the schools over concerns about their three-language curriculum, while saying Hindi is taught in many Tamil Nadu schools.
- Centre’s position
- The Centre said Tamil Nadu only needs to provide land and that it will handle the remaining requirements.
- Next hearing
- The matter was posted for December 14.
