In Brief
A school manager challenged the government's order upgrading a junior primary school to upper primary level, arguing procedural rules under the Kerala Education Rules were not followed. The Supreme Court held that the government had authority to relax these procedural requirements under Rule 3 of Chapter I, and was justified in doing so. The Court emphasized that the right to education up to age 14 is fundamental under Article 21A, and children should not need to walk 3+ kilometres to school. Since no other school existed within 3 kilometres of the appellant school, the upgradation was valid. The Court set aside the lower courts' judgments and allowed the appeal."
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