The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday (August 25) sought an explanation from the State Government on the alleged exclusion of Urdu-medium and other linguistic minority teaching posts from its ongoing recruitment drive for 15,000 school teachers, while refusing to stay the recruitment process.

Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde, sitting at Dharwad, issued notice on a petition challenging the August 11 recruitment notification on the ground that it invites applications for teaching posts in English and Kannada mediums but allegedly does not provide for recruitment of teachers for Urdu-medium and other linguistic-minority schools.

The petitioners contend that the exclusion violates the Karnataka Education Department Services (Department of Public Instruction) (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, as well as constitutional guarantees under Articles 19, 21, 29(1) and 350A.

The Court directed the Government Advocate to respond as to why the State had not undertaken the selection process for linguistic minorities, including Urdu-medium schools. It also directed the State to respond to a representation submitted by the petitioner.

The matter will next be heard on September 7.

During the hearing, Senior Counsel Gayathri Singh, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that while there were vacancies in schools where Kannada or English was the medium of instruction, the recruitment notification completely excluded Urdu-medium schools.

“…There appears to be some vacancy in schools where the medium of instruction is Kannada or English. The government is trying to fill up those vacancies. But why there is no recruitment in Urdu schools is a legitimate question...”, the court said orally.

It ordered, “…The Government Advocate is directed to submit a response as to why the Government has not undertaken the selection process for linguistic minorities, including Urdu medium schools. The Petitioner has submitted a representation marked as Annexure-H. The Government may also submit its response to the said representation by the next date of hearing.”

To recap, the plea filed by Urdu teachers, and other interested parties, challenges the Karnataka Government's recruitment notification for filling 15,000 teachers' posts, which allegedly excludes Urdu-medium and other linguistic-minority teaching posts.

As an interim relief, the petitioners had sought a stay on the recruitment notification or, alternatively, a direction restraining the respondents from finalising the recruitment process without considering Urdu Medium and other linguistic minority vacancies.

A specific interim prayer was also made to preserve the eligibility of petitioner Asma, an Urdu-qualified teacher, with reference to the maximum age applicable on the date of filing of the petition.

The petitioners clarified that recruitment is usually for all subjects and that teachers from Urdu medium schools were excluded.

“…If there is a requirement, they will invite. Courts cannot compel; it is for the government to make the call”, the judge orally observed.

When the petitioners sought an interim order to stay the recruitment notification, the Court added:

“This particular recruitment process cannot be stalled …Assuming there is no interim order, and you finally succeed in the petition, does that mean the recruitment undertaken by the government be set aside? No. If you succeed, there can be a direction for recruitment to Urdu schools too…”

The Court observed that the petitioners cannot stall the present recruitment process merely on the ground that there may be vacancies in Urdu medium schools.

“…If in a given year, say only 15,000 vacancies and not beyond that can be filled by the government, then you can say that petitioners intending to get recruited to Urdu medium schools are excluded from the notification”, Justice Hegde orally remarked again before issuing notice.

Case Title: Asma Gori (Mogare) v. State of Karnataka & Ors.

Case No: WP 107175/2026