Notification issued on banning homework: Education department

Justice N Kirubakaran on recording the submission and impleading both the Secretary and Director of School Education as respondents in the case directed them to make surprise check to ensure that the circulars issued in connection with non-issuance of homework and teaching of prescribed subjects are taught.

He said: “The State Education authorities are directed to make surprise check in all schools, including those affiliated to CBSE and State Board, to see that the court order banning homework as well as restriction of subjects are properly implemented. State authorities shall get compliance report from each district.”

The direction was based on a petition moved by Advocate M Purushothaman about implementing NCERT syllabus in CBSE schools and further to direct the schools to purchase only NCERT published books. While passing interim orders on the writ petition, the judge on May 29 last had directed the authorities concerned not to assign homework to students studying in Class I and II, among other things.

Accordingly, the department issued a circular to all the schools in the State on September 24.

It also instructed all CBSE schools, for which NCERT is the academic authority for Classes I-VIII, to scrupulously follow the CBSE circular dated April 17, 2007, on reducing the bag load and homework. 

Similarly, the schools, which are recognised by the School Education department, excluding CBSE schools, shall strictly follow the text books approved or prescribed by the Common Board of School Education of the State government only. 

All inspecting officers shall convene meeting of all heads of schools immediately and appraise the importance and seriousness of the orders of the High Court for strict compliance and obtain necessary acknowledgement from them, it added.