The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Tamil Nadu to identify land for establishing Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district, while urging the state and Centre to resolve their differences over the schools through dialogue. The court emphasized that Hindi cannot be excluded from Tamil Nadu's educational landscape, stating, 'It can’t be that Hindi will not be taught in the soil of Tamil Nadu.' The order was issued during a hearing on Tamil Nadu’s challenge to a Madras High Court direction to set up Navodaya schools in all districts.

The state has opposed the centrally funded schools, citing concerns over their three-language policy, which includes Hindi, conflicting with Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy. Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta, representing Tamil Nadu, argued that the state’s objection was not to Hindi itself but to the insistence on Hindi as the predominant language in the Navodaya system. He also contended that the central scheme was optional and that the court could not compel a state to adopt a particular policy. The court, however, maintained that the state could continue its own educational institutions while allowing Navodaya schools to operate as an additional option.

The bench, comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih, stressed the need for cooperative federalism, stating that the establishment of Navodaya schools would not lower Tamil Nadu’s educational standards. 'Some more type of schools come in your state also which will only enhance the high standard which we are aware of,' Justice Nagarathna said. The court clarified that it was not directing the state to acquire land immediately but only to identify suitable land in its government plan. Tamil Nadu was given three months to comply with the December 15, 2025 order, with the matter to be posted for December 14.

Tamil Nadu also raised financial concerns, arguing that the Centre had promised Rs 5,000 crore for education but had not released the funds. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, stated that the state’s primary obligation under the scheme was to provide land, while construction and other expenses would be borne by the Central government. The Centre also noted that the schools were at a nascent stage and that construction would take several years, leaving time to resolve language-related differences.

The court made clear that it was not directing the state to immediately acquire land or commit to a particular expenditure. It emphasized that the establishment of Navodaya schools would not prevent Tamil Nadu from continuing its own education system. 'Ultimately everybody must work together,' the bench said. The state, however, maintained that cooperative federalism could not operate in only one direction and that the court should not enter the policy debate. The court responded that the central scheme should not be viewed as an attempt to displace Tamil Nadu’s educational model.

In its order, the bench recorded Tamil Nadu’s explanation that the change in government and lack of material progress in discussions with the Centre had contributed to its non-compliance with the December 2025 direction. 'Be that as it may,' the bench said, directing the state to comply with the earlier order insofar as identification of land necessary to establish a school in each district was concerned. The matter has been posted for December 14, by when the state and Centre are expected to have had further consultations.