SC Rejects PIL Seeking Daily Preamble Recitation in Schools
The Supreme Court has declined a PIL seeking a national policy to mandate the daily recitation of the Preamble in school assemblies across India.
The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday has refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought a nationwide mandate for students to recite the Preamble to the Constitution during their morning school assemblies.
Court's Observation on Existing Curriculum
A judicial bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and Augustine George Masih addressed the petition, which aimed to enforce a uniform national policy for constitutional awareness. The bench observed that the Preamble is not a new concept in the educational sphere, noting that it already forms an integral part of the school curriculum.
The court pointed out that students are already taught the contents and significance of the Preamble as part of their studies from Class 6 onwards, rendering the demand for a mandatory daily recitation unnecessary from a legal standpoint.
The Petitioner's Argument for Civic Values
The plea was moved by Dheeraj Kumar, an Assistant Professor at Delhi University's Rajdhani College. The petitioner argued that just as the National Anthem is recited collectively, a daily recitation of the Preamble would help children internalize the core constitutional ideals of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity from a young age.
In his argument, the petitioner highlighted several key points:
- Regional Models: He cited existing initiatives in states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, where schools have been directed to include the Preamble recitation in their morning assemblies.
- National Uniformity: The plea suggested that a national policy would create a standardized approach to constitutional education across the country.
- Positive Affirmations: The petitioner referenced a May 2025 CBSE circular regarding the inclusion of daily positive affirmations in assemblies, suggesting that the Preamble would serve as a powerful tool for fostering civic awareness.
The petitioner had specifically sought directions to the Union Ministry of Education and the CBSE to frame a formal policy to ensure these constitutional values are deeply ingrained in the student community through regular practice.