Stay order on removing Dhivehi language from Minicoy school curriculum

Kerela High Court has stayed Lakshadweep administration's order to remove Dhivehi Language, locally known as Mahal, and Arabic from the school curriculum in Minicoy schools.

Minicoy is an island located in Lakshadweep, a union territory of India.

On May 14^th, Lakshadweep administration ordered that Malayalam and English be retained as the first and second languages in schools on Minicoy Island, while Hindi would replace Mahal and Arabic as the third language.

In a letter to the Administrator on May Congress Lok Sabha MP Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed representing Lakshadweep including Minicoy, urged to revise the decision citing Mahal and Arabic were central to the islanders’ cultural identity despite them not being considered as academic subjects.

The administration’s decision had prompted protests in Minicoy.

Subsequently, Ajas Akber, the president of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), filed a public interest litigation case against the Lakshadweep administration.

According to India news outlets, Kerala High Court has stayed the administration’s order after it was revealed that the order had not been backed by any research.

The Court said the administration may revisit the issue after appropriate local studies and meaningful stakeholder consultation.