Here's a summary of the Section 12 in Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act, 2010 case, based on the provided information.

Short Summary

This case concerns the constitutional validity of Section 12 of the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act, 2010, which mandated the teaching of common syllabus textbooks. The court upheld the validity of the Act, finding it did not violate the rights of private schools.

Facts

The Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act, 2010, was enacted to introduce a uniform system of education across all schools in Tamil Nadu. Section 12 of the Act specifically mandated that all schools, including private unaided schools, use textbooks prescribed by the state government based on a common syllabus. Several private schools challenged the constitutional validity of Section 12, arguing it infringed upon their fundamental rights.

Issues

The primary issue before the court was whether Section 12 of the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act, 2010, violated the fundamental rights of private unaided schools, particularly their right to administer their institutions under Article 19(1)(g) and Article 30(1) of the Constitution of India.

Petitioner's Arguments

The petitioners (private schools) argued that Section 12:

• Infringed upon their autonomy in administering their institutions, a right guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g) and Article 30(1) of the Constitution.
• Forced them to adopt a syllabus and textbooks not of their choosing, thereby impacting the quality of education they could provide.
• Violated their right to choose their own methods of instruction and curriculum.

Respondent's Arguments

The respondent (State of Tamil Nadu) argued that:

• The Act was enacted to promote equality and social justice in education, ensuring all students, regardless of their school, received a comparable education.
• Section 12 was a reasonable restriction on the rights of private schools in the interest of the general public.
• The state had the power to regulate education to ensure standards and quality.

Court's Reasoning

The court reasoned that:

• The right to administer educational institutions under Article 19(1)(g) and Article 30(1) was not absolute and was subject to reasonable restrictions.
• The state had a legitimate interest in ensuring a uniform standard of education across all schools.
• The prescription of a common syllabus and textbooks was a reasonable measure to achieve this objective.
• The Act aimed to remove disparities in education and promote social justice, which were valid constitutional goals.
• The state's power to regulate education included the power to prescribe syllabus and textbooks.

Conclusion

The court upheld the constitutional validity of Section 12 of the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act, 2010. The petitions filed by the private schools were dismissed. The court found that the Act was a reasonable restriction on the rights of private schools in the interest of promoting equality and social justice in education.