In a bid to reduce paper works, Tamil Nadu schools to be recognised online

Accordingly, a new software/portal would be developed involving Information Technology (IT) experts in this regard. At present, schools, including government-aided and self-financing institutions were recognised manually, which consumes more time.

A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next that firstly, a comprehensive database of all the existing schools will be created and that would be linked with the software.

Explaining the digital school recognition plan, he said a portal will be developed and it could be accessed by all the schools.

"Accordingly, new schools, which wants to obtain recognition from the government, will have to upload the required data including documents and certificates in the website", he said adding that for the existing schools, a login ID will be created and through that, they could renew the recognition.

Stating that even payment for recognition will be online, the official said once the school details were uploaded the authorities concerned would visit the institutions to verify the data for final approval.

He said the online recognition portal will also have important links and government orders so that management of the schools could clarify the doubts then and there.

"The website will also have the option to take the list of the schools, which did not renew its recognition for that year so that parents will also go through such institutions before admitting their children," he said. Similarly, the portal will also have the list of debarred schools, he added.

Pointing out that at present there are more than 12,000 private schools were functioning across the State, the official said once the online recognition portal was launched, the existing schools should also update the infrastructure development activities in the campus such as the construction of new classrooms, toilets and other student's facilities.

Following the court's order, the School Education Department had recently cancelled permanent recognition of schools. Accordingly, recognition to the schools will be given a maximum of up to three years.