The Chhattisgarh High Court has observed that no child can be compelled to recite Hindu prayers in government schools while hearing a petition challenging a June 12 circular issued by the State School Education Department.
The circular proposed a daily routine including Saraswati Vandana, Gayatri Mantra, Guru Mantra, Deep Mantra, Bhojan Mantra and Shanti Mantra alongside the National Anthem and National Song in government schools.
During the hearing, the State government informed Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad that the circular had not yet been implemented, following which the Court disposed of the petition but granted liberty to the petitioners to approach it again if any child is forced to participate in the prayers.
The petitioners, including former Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman Abdul Salam Rizvi, former Minority Department chairman Mahendra Chhabda and Bilaspur-based social activist Shafique Ahmed, argued that the circular violated the Constitution’s secular framework, equality before law and freedom of conscience by prescribing prayers associated with one religion without offering any exemption for students who may not wish to participate.
While a detailed order is awaited, the Court’s oral observation has underscored that participation in religious activities cannot be made compulsory in State-run educational institutions.
Court Stresses Freedom Of Conscience
The case arose after the Chhattisgarh School Education Department issued a circular prescribing a structured morning and school-day routine for government schools across the State.
Besides the National Anthem and National Song, the directive included Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra, Deep Mantra, Bhojan Mantra before mid-day meals, Gayatri Mantra before dispersal and Shanti Mantra, along with reading biographies of great personalities as part of the daily schedule.
The State government had reportedly described the initiative as an effort to promote discipline, moral values and cultural awareness among students.
However, the petitioners contended that the inclusion of Hindu prayers in government schools amounted to religious instruction by the State and was inconsistent with constitutional principles of secularism.
They argued that the circular promoted one religion over others, lacked any exemption mechanism for students unwilling to participate and failed to safeguard the freedom of conscience guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution.
They further claimed that prescribing prayers from one faith while excluding others compromised the State’s obligation to remain religiously neutral in publicly funded educational institutions.
During the hearing, counsel representing the State government informed the High Court that although the circular had been issued in June, it had not yet been implemented.
Recording this submission, Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad disposed of the petition instead of ruling on its constitutional validity at this stage.
At the same time, the Court made an important observation that no child studying in a government school could be compelled to recite Hindu prayers.
It also clarified that if any instance of coercion is reported after implementation, the petitioners would be free to approach the Court again, and appropriate action would be considered. A detailed written order explaining the Court’s reasoning is still awaited.
Debate On Secular Education Continues
The matter has once again brought into focus the constitutional balance between cultural practices, religious freedom and secular education in India.
The petitioners argued that compulsory participation in prayers belonging to a particular faith would violate Articles 14, 25 and 28 of the Constitution by undermining equality before law, freedom of conscience and the prohibition on religious instruction in State-funded educational institutions.
They maintained that government schools should remain inclusive spaces where children from diverse religious and non-religious backgrounds can study without being expected to participate in rituals associated with any one faith.
The issue has also revived discussion around the Supreme Court’s landmark 1986 judgment in Bijoe Emmanuel v. State of Kerala, in which the Court upheld the rights of students belonging to the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith who respectfully declined to sing the National Anthem due to their sincerely held religious beliefs.
Although the facts of the two cases differ, legal commentators have pointed to the decision as an important affirmation of the constitutional protection afforded to individual conscience and personal liberty in educational settings.
Public debate over the Chhattisgarh circular has reflected differing viewpoints, with some arguing that the prayers represent India’s cultural heritage and moral traditions, while others believe that government institutions must remain strictly neutral in matters of religion to uphold the secular character of the Constitution.
Since the State government has maintained that the circular has not yet been implemented, the High Court has refrained from deciding its constitutional validity for now. However, the petitioners retain the liberty to return to court should any student be compelled to participate in religious prayers in future.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Government schools are among the country’s most diverse public spaces, bringing together children from different religions, cultures, languages and social backgrounds under one roof. The Constitution’s vision of secularism does not require individuals to abandon their beliefs; rather, it expects the State to treat every citizen with equal respect, without favouring one faith over another.
In that context, the Chhattisgarh High Court’s observation serves as an important reminder that freedom of conscience is not merely a constitutional principle but a lived right that belongs equally to every child. While cultural education and value-based learning have an important place in schools, they must always remain inclusive, voluntary and respectful of India’s pluralistic fabric.
Also read: Padma Vibhushan Teejan Bai Dies at 70, Ending a Legendary Journey That Took Pandavani to the World
