RTI activist in HC for action against CBSE schools

Times of India: Nagpur: Wednesday, July 04, 2018.

An RTI activist and a lawyer knocked judiciary’s doors praying for action against the CBSE schools for allegedly committing various irregularities by flouting norms.

A division bench comprising justices Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Zaka Haq issued notices to the respondents, including the Union HRD Ministry and State Department of School Education, asking them to reply within a week. The central board’s deputy secretary and deputy director of education in city are other respondents.

RTI activist Sandeep Agrawal and lawyer BJ Agrawal accused the CBSE schools of forcing parents to purchase books and uniform from their premises or from the particular shops. This is going on despite specific directives from the government to use only NCERT books. Through counsel Radhika Raskar, they pointed out that the CBSE schools are deliberately making changes in the school uniforms, shoes and books every year by attaching logos and symbols and pressurize the parents to buy them.

Quoting the education department’s GR, they stated that it refrained the schools from directly or indirectly suggesting parents to purchase stationary and uniforms from their premises or from selected vendors. The GR also stated that the schools should inform the parents about a year in advance for changing the uniforms. If directives are not complied with, deputy director could stop their grants and derecognize them immediately. He can also take back their land, stop tax concessions and other facilities, and withdraw their no-objection certificate (NOC).

The petitioner had filed a PIL (WP no 89/2017) in this regard where HC directed him to make a representation before the deputy director. But even after that no cognisance was taken, thus forcing him to approach the HC.