The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a nationwide policy requiring schools to have students recite the Preamble to the Constitution during morning assemblies.

The plea was heard by a Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Augustine George Masih.

The Bench declined to entertain the petition, observing that the Preamble already forms part of the foundational school curriculum and is taught to students across the country from Class 6 onwards.

The PIL was filed by Dheeraj Kumar, an Assistant Professor at Rajdhani College, Delhi University, through Advocate-on-Record Rohit Kumar.

The petitioner sought directions to the Union Ministry of Education and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to formulate a nationwide policy framework aimed at promoting constitutional literacy among school students.

The plea argued that regular and collective recitation of the Preamble during morning assemblies, similar to the rendition of the National Anthem, would help inculcate the constitutional values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity among children from an early age.

It was submitted that such a policy would further the right to education guaranteed under Article 21A of the Constitution as well as the fundamental duties under Article 51A(a).

The petitioner relied on circulars issued by the governments of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka, under which state-run and affiliated schools had been directed to have students recite the Preamble during morning assemblies.

The plea also referred to a May 2025 CBSE circular encouraging schools to conduct daily positive affirmations during assemblies. The petitioner argued that recitation of the Preamble could serve as the ultimate affirmation of constitutional and civic consciousness.

However, the Supreme Court declined to entertain the plea, noting that the Preamble is already included in the school curriculum.

Case Title: Dheeraj Kumar v. Union of India & Anr.