Live
- Demand for TTD calendars, diaries sees a surge
- A pathway to sustainable peace
- Act Decisively On Microplastics
- Entrepreneurs exhorted to grab opportunities, grow globally
- Do celebrities think they are above the law?
- Lokesh fiat on MSME applications
- CM sets administrative goals at Collectors’ Conference
- ADB okays ₹8K cr to develop Amaravati
- Pushpa 2 Hits ₹1000 Crore in 6 Days: How It Compares to Other Top Indian Films
- NASA Tracks Five Giant Asteroids on Close Approach to Earth Today
Telangana Government's U-turn on school fee issue
Representational image
Parents' associations of school students cry foul
Hyderabad: Parents and parents' associations of school students have cried foul over the State government's U-turn over the school fee issue by washing its hand regarding regulation of schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE). It would take action against only schools affiliated to the State board, as per provisions of the Education Act, 1982.
When the Hyderabad School Parents' Association (HSPA) filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) accusing private schools of charging high fee for online classes violating GO 46, the government stated that it would take action against those schools which are affiliated to the State board. But parents are contesting the stand taken by the government as 'confusing', saying that the government itself is not abiding by GO 46.
According to the GO, under Rule 21 of Telangana Educational Institutions (Establishment, Recognition, Administration & Control of Schools under Private Managements) Rules, 1993, all private unaided recognised schools in the State, which are affiliated to the State Board, CBSE, ICSE and other international boards, are not to increase any kind of fee during 2020-21. They shall charge only tuition fee on monthly basis till further orders. Non-compliance of the instructions will result in cancellation of school recognition, revocation of NoC, already granted for affiliation to other boards and initiation of appropriate action against the school management under relevant Acts or Rules.
K Venkat Sainath, Joint Secretary of HSPA, questioned: "If the State government doesn't have any relationship with the other boards, apart from the State boards, how they are giving NOCs to schools which have violated the GO." He added that schools have been relieved by the government decision.
Expressing similar views, V Sharma, Secretary, Indian Parents' Association said: "Why haven't they withdrawn the NOC for them in case of CBSE and ICSE schools. Why have they not derecognised the State board schools yet? As per GO, schools erring from the CBSE and ICSE should have had their NOCs, issued by the State government, revoked and appropriate action initiated against the school managements under relevant Acts/Rules. This is what GO quotes. Why haven't they done this yet for almost a year?
S Umesh, parent of a class 4 student, felt that the government cannot forget its own GO, but act according to it and take action against 11 private schools. "We are of the opinion that they are shrugging off their responsibility. It's a blatant irregularity from them owing to pressure from the managements to see the other way despite gross violation of GO." he added.
