In Brief
A Sikh petitioner filed a public interest petition seeking a writ of mandamus to compel the Union and all States to include detailed history and teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus and Guru Granth Saheb in school syllabuses across all classes. The petitioner contended that Sikh history lacked adequate representation in textbooks compared to other historical figures. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition, holding that while public interest litigation has an expanded scope, it has defined limitations. Courts cannot mandate curriculum content or direct what schools must teach—such decisions fall within the constitutional domain of educational authorities and the State. The Court emphasised that not every societal aspiration or idea can crystallise through judicial intervention under Article 32."
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