Malayalam compulsory in Kerala schools, gov brings out ordinance

April 11, 2017

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 11: Kerala Government today promulgated an ordinance making Malayalam a compulsory subject in all schools in the state up to Class X.

The ordinance will come into effect from the coming academic year, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters here. It will be applicable up to Class X in all government, aided, un-aided, self-financing institutions, including those affiliated to CBSE and ICSE streams, he said.

However, Malayalam subject would not be made compulsory for other state and foreign students to pass Class X, Vijayan said.

The ordinance was issued after Governor P Sathasivam gave his approval. Detailing the other directions in the ordinance, he said teaching Malayalam would be made compulsory for awarding No Objection Certificate for schools.

"The law (ordinance) clearly states that schools should not impose any direct or indirect ban against speaking Malayalam. It also states that no boards should be erected in the campus directing students to use any language other than Malayalam," Vijayan said.

The NoC of schools, where Malayalam is not taught, would be cancelled, he said. A fine of Rs 5,000 would be imposed on the Principals of those schools which fail to follow the new instructions, the Chief Minister added.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

Comments