Kerala High Court Bans Agitations on Campus | 27 Feb 2020

The Kerala High Court has banned all forms of agitations by student groups on school and college campuses.

The Kerala High Court has issued this order while hearing a petition filed by 20 educational institutions against campus politics.
The High Court had prohibited campus politics in 2017 also but the decision was not implemented in the State.

The Court has imposed a ban on strikes in schools and colleges that impact the functioning of the campuses.
Educational institutions are meant for academic- related activities and not protests. However, these institutions can be made a venue for peaceful discussions.
There should not be any form of agitation that affects the academic atmosphere on campuses. Right to education is a fundamental right (Article 21-A of the Constitution) and nobody has the right to violate that right.

Student wings of political parties consider that the verdict infringes upon fundamental rights (including Article 19(1)(a) - Right to Freedom of speech and expression). Campus politics has a larger role in socialising students and instilling in them the values of democracy and secularism.
A student group is also a type of a Pressure Group.
- A pressure group is a group of people who are organised actively for promoting and defending their common interest.
- It is called so, as it attempts to bring a change in public policy by exerting pressure on the government.