Education officials pulled up on school approvals

Justice N Kirubakaran, who posed the queries, sought to know as to why officials are not acting promptly whenever they receive the applications for approval and verify as to whether the school authorities have already started admission or not. 

The other questions that were raised included if the students have been admitted, why the authorities have not acted promptly and swiftly, in the beginning itself to protect the interest of the children? Why no penal action has been taken against the concerned schools for admitting the students, without getting any approval from educational authorities. What are all the other modes available under the Act to the authorities to prohibit mushrooming of the schools without any approval, which admits the students clandestinely and how many schools are operating without any approval throughout the state? 

The case pertains to an unaided matriculation school from PreKG to Class 9 standard being started without any approval. During 2015-2016 as many as 200 students were studying in the school and since the school failed to have any approval, the education department through an order had directed the students studying in the school to be accommodated in some other schools. Following this, the school owner moved the court seeking relief. The case has been posted for orders to August 16.