PIL seeks action against erring schools

Delhi-wide audit of all schools sought

New Delhi: Various government schools in the national capital are flouting CBSE rules and regulations like running more than one school in the same building, a co-education school within the premises of a girl's school, and functioning as a senior secondary school despite being affiliated with secondary school, the Delhi High Court was told on Friday.

The facts were disclosed in a PIL plea filed by Ummeed Educational and Welfare Society through its president Anurag Malik.

Society lawyers Pankaj Mehta and R.K. Mehta told the Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao that despite there being rules and regulations in place, various private aided and unaided schools in Delhi are blatantly flouting them.

The lawyers requested the court to direct the concerned authorities to put stringent measures into effect, conduct periodic inspection of the school's premises and take strict action against the schools found to be violating the rules, norms, and guidelines.

They also sought a direction to the authorities to initiate a Delhi-wide audit of all schools within their purview and take action against the violators in accordance with the law and the formation of a unified regulatory body.

The counsel requested the court to direct the authorities to properly enforce the rules and guidelines related to schools as they are putting the lives and careers of students at stake.

Admitting the plea, the Delhi High Court asked the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Delhi Government, its Secretary, Directorate of Education, the Delhi Development Authority and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to file their response to the public suit.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 8. The petition apprised the court that various schools are running more than one school in the same building and premises.

“In a girls school, which is a government-aided school there is a co-education school running within the same premises, which is recognized by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, that clearly violates the rules and regulations framed by government authorities,” read the petition.

Some schools are functioning as senior secondary schools despite being secondary schools wherein no affiliation has been granted by the CBSE. Changing the name of the school in the middle of the session without the prior approval of the concerned authorities is another malpractice by some schools.

Some schools are using the school building for commercial purposes, the society said.It added that schools have failed to maintain the minimum standards of school safety.

Some have failed to deploy school buses and are employing drivers and conductors for private cabs and vans without any proper police verification or proper training.

The plea also told the court that a blind eye is being turned by the authorities towards various complaints filed against such schools and no action is being taken on such complaints.

“Unless stringent steps are taken to ensure accountability of public authorities towards ensuring proper compliance of the rules and affiliation bye-laws by the schools, the irregularities and malpractices by the schools flouting norms cannot be curbed/stopped,” the petition said.