Bengaluru, Dec 17 (IANS): The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government not to make Kannada language compulsory for degree students until further orders.

"The state government at this stage cannot insist on making the Kannada language compulsory. Students who have already chosen to study the language can do so," a division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi ordered on Thursday.

However, the bench also observed that, with respect to making Kannada language subject compulsory for higher studies in the backdrop of implementing National Education Policy (NEP), required consideration.

The High Court was hearing a PIL filed by Samskara Bharathi (Karnataka) Trust, three institutions promoting Sanskrit and five students on the matter.

Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi brought to the notice of the court that the five students who have filed PIL in the case have studied Kannada language till class 12 and they can't have any objections while studying at higher levels.

The counsel for the students, Sridhar Prabhu, argued that the court had already asked the government not to hasten the matter of making Kannada language mandatory for graduation courses.

He also sought directions from the court as students have taken admissions this academic year.

Additional Solicitor General M.B. Nargund informed the court that he is not in a position to explain the stand of the Central government on making Kannada language mandatory for higher studies as part of implementation of the NEP.

He sought four weeks time to file a detailed counter affidavit by the Centre in this regard.