SC refuses to examine plea to appoint ‘yoga mitra’ instructors in schools

Members of Inner Club Association teaching free yoga classes for Corporation School students at Model School, Thousand Lights in Chennai on Friday.
| Photo Credit: Ragu R

The Supreme Court on Friday (November 8, 2024) refused to examine a plea seeking directions to all states to appoint “yoga mitra” instructors for school children.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra told petitioner advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay that it was a policy matter.

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“As a person who practices yoga, I can say its important for the development, but this purely lies in the policy domain of the government,” remarked the CJI.

When Mr. Upadhyay sought the permission to withdraw his plea, the Bench allowed it.

The plea contended that integrating yoga in education not only upheld the children’s right to health under Article 21, but also complemented their right to education under Article 21A.

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“Right to health includes prevention and protection of health and is a minimum requirement to enable children to live with dignity. So, the State not only has a constitutional obligation to appoint ‘yoga mitra’ in schools but to also ensure the creation and sustaining of conditions congenial to good health.”

The plea said Article 21 read with Articles 39 and 47, put the onus on the State on improving the health of its citizens, especially children, and provide necessary information, instruction, training and supervision on the same.