‘Focus on studies, kids mustn’t be involved in this’: SC on student’s plea to reopen schools

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday, advised a Class XII student to concentrate on his studies rather than submitting petitions. The student submitted a plea to the court for the resumption of physical education lessons in schools, stating that the COVID-19 pandemic has ‘substantially subsided.’

Dismissing the plea, the two-judge bench of DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathnam said, ‘Tell the child to focus on studies and not on filing petitions. I am not saying it’s a publicity gimmick, but the kind of relief that has been sought is misplaced.’

The Supreme Court emphasised that different states have different standards and there can’t be a one-size-fits-all solution and children should not file such pleas. ‘We can’t issue judicial diktats saying all children should be sent to school. Let’s leave it upon state governments as a democratic set up. They also want children to go back to school. Different states have different numbers of districts and of varying population densities. We cannot take governance upon ourselves,’ the Supreme Court ruled.

The justices reminded the petitioner that the country had recently experienced a devastating and virulent second wave that put the healthcare system on the verge to fall. ‘Fears of a third wave linger. We are not saying it will be as devastating but still.’

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Delhi has reopened schools after bearing the brunt of the cases during the second wave. Classes have resumed in Uttar Pradesh as well. Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have done the same. Kerala, which is dealing with a large number of Covid cases on a daily basis, will resume classes in November 1.

‘We have seen how in several countries schools were reopened but after repercussions, they had to shut them again,’ the court noted.

A student from Delhi, Amar Prem Prakash claims that he is expressing the views and concerns of a big portion of the student community, particularly those who have been left behind. ‘Underprivileged and voiceless children are at a disadvantaged position to avail online education,’ Amar said in his plea.