Unauthorised schools: Maharashtra Govt to review parameters to grant approvals as many are located in slums

According to these schools, all of them are in slums of the city where it is impossible to meet certain criteria for the said approval such as requirement of land, holding fixed deposits among all. The federation had also met with school education minister Deepak Kesarkar with their issues.

Member of Legislative Council, Kapil Patil, was among few leaders who raised the issue during the ongoing sessions where limitations faced by these schools were pointed out. After the questions were raised, the government announced that it is working on a proposal to review the parameters.

As per demand, schools that are established after 2013 need to provide all the necessary documents, and schools established before 2013 will benefit under the Self-Financing Act. The proposal will also deliberate on revoking the heavy penalties charged on these schools.

Welcoming the move, Shabana Khan from the federation of unauthorised schools, who runs V K English School in Govandi’s Baiganwadi slums and caters to nearly 500 children, said, “There are so many students studying in these schools across slums in the city.”

The development, however, has miffed education activists from the city. One of the activists, Nitin Dalavi said, “This is going to set a wrong precedent. Anybody will start a school anywhere without meeting the required criteria hoping that the approval will be granted, eventually. Relaxation in parameters should not be applicable to all the schools. Government should verify and pick those who are genuinely doing good work.” Activists are also demanding that action should be taken against the education officers of the government who let such schools run for so many years.

Last year, over 670 schools were declared unauthorized across Maharashtra, out of which over 260 are in Mumbai.