Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has rejected Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s objections to Kerala’s decision to make Malayalam the compulsory first language in schools, saying that the concerns are baseless and that the law does not violate the constitutional rights of linguistic minorities.
Vijayan, in a reply to Siddaramaiah over the decision to make Malayalam the compulsory first language in schools in the state, clarified that claims of Malayalam being imposed on Kannada-medium schools are baseless. He said that although the law states that Malayalam will be made the first language, children whose mother tongue is not Malayalam are given the opportunity to learn Malayalam along with that language.
According to the national curriculum, the Kerala Chief Minister further said, students can choose the language of their choice, and that Malayalam exams are not mandatory for those coming from other states or abroad in the 10th standard and higher secondary level. While the law designates Malayalam as the first language, students whose mother tongue is different are allowed to study both Malayalam and their own language, he added.
He also noted that linguistic minorities are permitted to use Tamil and Kannada in correspondence with government offices, and that the law requires authorities to respond in the same language.
Emphasising that respect for one’s mother tongue does not hinder the promotion of other languages, Vijayan said the legislation reflects cultural harmony and cooperative federalism between Kerala and Karnataka, and affirmed that the state government is committed to safeguarding constitutional rights.
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Published By:
Nitish Singh
Published On:
Jan 29, 2026
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