Reconstitute school panels: Delhi Government
NEW DELHI: Days after significant stakeholders of city private schools highlighted that the School Management Committees (SMCs) were not fully functioning, with no official meetings held for a long time — particularly in view of the fee hike issue— the Delhi government has ordered the dissolution of all SMCs of government and government-aided schools in the city, with immediate effect.
The government has instead directed that a school-level SMC Election Committee, headed by the concerned head of the school, will conduct elections to reconstitute a new SMC for their respective schools, as per the RTE Act.
In our last Cityscape edition published this Monday on the fee hike issue, the President of the Delhi State Public Schools Management Committee, RC Jain, stated that the fee hike issue could be resolved with the help of the Delhi government.
However, the previous government did not form any Education Advisory Board in the past ten years, and the last meeting held with the former Education Minister Manish Sisodia was in 2015.
The order issued by the Directorate of Education on April 24 stated that the final result would be declared by the school-level SMC Election Committee on May 10, ensuring that the requirement of at least 50% representation of women and at least one representation from the SC/ST/OBC/Weaker section candidates — one out of 16 members — shall be selected as per merit.
It also mentioned that any person wishing to apply for the role of social worker in a School Management Committee must have a strong aptitude and a natural inclination towards serving the cause of education. Preference should be given to those with a verifiable track record in their field.
The order further stated that the first meeting of the newly constituted SMC may be held on the next working day after the result is declared. The elected members of the SMC shall elect a Vice-Chairperson among themselves.
During the last month, a sharp hike in fees in several Delhi schools had left parents frustrated and under financial stress, with many taking to the streets in protest against the move. Many parents shared that the mismanagement of the School Management Committees, where the fee hike issue should have been discussed, was the main reason for the chaos. Following this, the government took stringent measures to curb the arbitrary fee hikes by seeking audit reports from schools and inspecting certain schools, among other steps.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- The Hindu
Guidelines modified for preferential appointment in T.N. government service for persons who studied in Tamil medium
Candidates who did not attend Class I but pursued education eventually under the Right to Education (RTE) Act with Tamil as the medium of instruction up to the prescribed qualification, would be able to benefit from the 20% preferential appointment in Tamil Nadu government service, given to persons who studied in Tamil medium (PSTM). The State government has recently modified its guidelines in this regard. According to the modification issued by Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam for the Human Resources Management Department to the guidelines in this regard, candidates who could not join Class I but who joined schools under the RTE Act between Classes II and VIII with Tamil as the medium of instruction and passed, would be able to obtain preferential appointment in Tamil Nadu government service, if they meet other conditions. The modification in guidelines also allowed those candidates who have studied in other States with Tamil as the medium of instruction and resumed their education in Tamil Nadu and continued in Tamil as the medium of instruction from the class they joined in the State. 'They should obtain certificates from all the educational institutions that their medium of instruction was Tamil upto the prescribed qualification,' it said. The modification issued by the Human Resources Management Department followed a judgment of the Madras High Court delivered in March 2024 and several representations to the State government requesting to allow those who went to Nila Oli Pallis, those who went to schools only from Class II, III, VI or V and those who could not pursue formal education but completed Class VIII, X, XI and XII as private candidates with Tamil as the medium of instruction. The modification issued to the guidelines is expected to benefit candidates who might have gone to Nila Oli Pallis (moonlight schools or night schools) that are set up by district administrations to get students, who were out of formal education and were involved in work in the daytime to get education between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. It is also expected to benefit candidates who did not follow the formal education from Class I but completed their schooling under RTE Act, among others.
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Indian Express
Lack of primary facilities in Punagam: Gujarat Human Rights Commission directs SMC Commissioner to attend June 26 hearing
The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agrawal to remain present, in person or virtually, on June 26 as a petition filed by a social worker — claiming rights violation over non-provision of primary facilities to residents of Punagam area — is heard. On the directions, SMC Commissioner Agarwal said, 'We have come across the directive from the State Human Rights Commission. We are preparing the data of the work done by us.' Punagam was incorporated into the municipal corporation limits in 2006. As per the petition filed by a social worker from the area, Kuldeep Gohil, a town planning scheme for the area was laid out in 2019. The petitioner said that according to the scheme, the SMC was supposed to provide 'urinal blocks, government schools, community hall, Shishu Kunj (play area for children), Shanti Kunj (parks for the elderly), vegetable markets'. 'The citizens had complained to the local councillors, municipal commissioner, and chief minister over the lack of provisions,' the petitioner said. The petition further adds, 'As per sections 68 and 69 of the Town Planning Act, the ruling party and civic organisation have to provide basic facilities, but they failed to do so. The roads are not up to the plan at block no. 443 and 446. There are encroachments on different roads.' Punagam, which is represented by around eight corporators, had a majority of BJP councillors. But after the 2015 Patidar quota agitation, the Congress leaders earned a majority. In the last municipal election, the seats were won by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders. The area is dominated by the Patidar population, hailing from different districts in Saurashtra who settled in Surat and are into diamond trade, textiles, and embroidery industries. Lack of basic facilities has remained a constant pet peeve here. Taking up the issue, Gohil had filed a petition against SMC with the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) on March 21 this year. Gohil told The Indian Express, 'I am resident of Punagam ward no. 17. Till date, no primary works like library, vegetable market, Shishu Kunj (children play garden), Shanti Kunj (elderly people garden), community hall and other basic facilities have been not developed by SMC, as per the plan. The roads are quite narrow and have not been widened. We have complained regularly to the SMC Varachha East zone. But nothing has been done. Apart from this, there are five reservation plots of SMC, which have been given to private people who run a food court, and SMC generates good revenue from it.' Payal Sakariya, AAP councillor from Ward no. 16, Punagam West, said, 'We have been regularly raising the issue about basic and other facilities to be provided by SMC in the area, to the citizens of Punagam area, but no action is taken. In the final TP of 20 in Punagam, the roads are narrow, and the population is over 1.50 lakh. There are over 150 residential societies (each society has over 200 houses with multiple floors). As per TP scheme rules, along with basic facilities like water, roads, drainage, etc., SMC has to provide other facilities which the civic organisation has failed to do.' Commenting on the issue, Vijay Panseriya, former Congress corporator Punagam East, said, 'The reason behind inadequate facilities is political enmity. After the area had been added to the SMC limit, BJP candidates were elected till 2015. During the Patidar movement, the voters switched over to Congress in the 2015 municipal election, and for the first time, Congress candidates won our ward. In 2021, AAP candidates won in this ward.' Surat Municipal Corporation Varachha A zone executive engineer Karan Bhavsar told The Indian Express, 'I am new to this zone. We have provided water, drainage roads, electricity and other facilities.'
Hans India
2 days ago
- Hans India
No BAS and RTE admissions in our schools: Private managements
Hyderabad: Are growing financial concerns pushing the education sector in the state into chaos? The situation indicates that the State government is facing scrutiny from the State High Court for failing to implement the 25 per cent reservation for underprivileged students in private schools, as mandated by Section 121 (C) of the Right to Education Act 2009. Meanwhile, private school management has expressed their inability to bear the financial burden that comes with implementing this scheme. In an interview with The Hans India, Yadagiri Sheshagiri Rao, honorary president of the Telangana Recognised Schools Management Association (TRSMA) and state secretary of Best Available Schools (BAS), stated that there are currently about 25,000 seats that schools must allocate to students from SC and ST categories under the BAS Scheme. However, approximately Rs 200 crore in dues have been pending for the past three years. Additionally, if the state government plans to implement the Right to Education (RTE) Act, schools may need to create around 75,000 more seats to comply with the new requirements. Under the RTE Act, the government is required to either pay the outstanding amounts for each student or cover the fees charged by private schools. For instance, if a school charges Rs 2 lakh per year in fees, the government would reimburse only about Rs 1.10 lakh to Rs 1.50 lakh for each admission under the RTE Act. This means the school would have to forgo between Rs 50,000 to Rs 90,000 for each student. Conversely, schools that charge only Rs 50,000 per student per year would receive the full amount from the government, rather than the lesser amount they spend on students in government schools. The state secretary of the private school association stated that the total seat capacity that private schools are required to offer the government under both the BAS and RTE Acts is around one lakh seats. However, the state government has yet to address the Rs 200 crore in BAS dues from the past three years. Additionally, it reportedly owes about Rs 600 crore for the rentals of residential schools currently operating. Private unaided colleges have also been agitating for the recovery of approximately Rs 7,500 crore in fee reimbursement dues accumulated over the past few years. This situation has led school management to fear and express their inability to continue admitting students under either the BAS or RTE programs. 'Many schools are facing closure due to mounting debts resulting from the government's non-payment of dues. Small, budget schools in local neighborhoods are particularly affected. They can no longer stretch their finances or raise loans to keep operating,' added Sheshagiri Rao. There are approximately 200 BAS schools in the state that have decided not to admit students until their pending dues are cleared. If necessary, they may close their doors and hand over the keys to the school education department to manage the schools themselves. When asked about the current situation, sources in the State School Education Department indicated that the state government is considering starting international schools in every mandal to provide quality education for all. However, this raises a valid concern: the state government is currently struggling to clear about Rs 8,000 crore in dues for both schools and colleges. Given this financial burden, how many years will it take to build and operate these international schools to ensure quality education for everyone remains a million-dollar question.
