LI Network
Published on: February 8, 2024 at 14:00 IST
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a plea filed by a student from the Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI) seeking a modification in the curriculum to implement a five-day working week, with weekends off.
Justice Devan Ramachandran asserted that students lack the authority to dictate the formulation of the course curriculum, deeming such decisions to be within the purview of experts in the educational policy domain.
Highlighting that the course in question is classified as full-time, the Court emphasized that students, without specific permission, are not entitled to pursue other courses or engage in additional activities.
The Court questioned the petitioner’s request for Saturdays to be designated as a holiday, considering the nature of the full-time program.
The petitioner argued that a reduced workweek would enable students to undertake additional courses alongside ITI, enhancing their job prospects.
The petitioner had previously submitted a representation to the Chief Minister of Kerala outlining proposed modifications to the curriculum, which was subsequently rejected.
The Government Pleader contended that the writ petition was not maintainable, asserting that students lack the authority to dictate curriculum design.
The Court observed conflicting reasons given by the petitioner, stating that while the writ petition focused on better job opportunities, the representation highlighted financial concerns for economically disadvantaged students.
The Court, affirming that students cannot determine the curriculum or its timeframe, underscored that such decisions fall within the expertise of educational authorities.
Citing the policy realm nature of these matters, the court declined to accommodate the student’s request. Consequently, the writ petition was closed by the court.
