The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : State turns the heat on ‘new ISCE/CBSE’ schools

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 01, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

State turns the heat on ‘new ISCE/CBSE’ schools

Staff Reporter

‘They have violated the undertaking given to Government’

BANGALORE: The State Government on Monday told the Karnataka High Court that primary schools found teaching ISCE or CBSE syllabus are deemed to be unrecognised institutions as they had violated the State’s policy on medium of instruction.

Objections

In its statement of objections, the State said scores of primary schools had merely obtained a no-objection certificate from the Education Department and commenced teaching CBSE and ISCE syllabus in English.

These schools, it said, had violated the undertaking they had given to the State at the time of starting the institution.

When these institutions were started, they had promised to teach in Kannada or the medium in which they had been recognised.

Violations

But many had violated the terms of the undertaking and after having obtained NoC from the Education Department, begun teaching in English medium.

The Government said CBSE or ISCE affiliation was only at the secondary school stage and at the primary school stage, these institutions are bound to obtain recognition from the Education Department.

State’s contention

The Government Advocate, B. Manohar, contended that all schools coming under the State syllabus come under the purview of the Education Act.

These schools are bound to follow the State’s policy on the medium of instruction. He said that the NoC is only a certificate to enable the institutions to apply for affiliation.

It does not give freedom or independence to such institutions to violate the State’s policy.

He submitted that these violations had come to light when the three-member committees were constituted by the Government to go into complaints that the schools are violating the policy on medium of instruction.

He said that notices of derecognition had been issued to such schools.

The statement said that the NoC is given as the institutions wanting to be affiliated to the CBSE/ISCE or other Central boards have to send the NoC along with the application for affiliation.

Besides, the affiliation guidelines clearly state that mere submission of NoC or application for affiliation does not entitle an institution to claim any such benefit.

State rules

It said that till these schools obtain affiliation from either the ISCE or CBSE, they have to follow the State syllabus and State rules.

As they had not followed the State policy on medium of instruction, they had been served notices of derecognition.

Justice B.S. Patil adjourned further hearing on petitions by two schools— one seeking CBSE and another ISCE affiliation, and directed the Registry to post these cases along with similar matters.

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