No consensus on PPP model schools

The disagreements between the ministry and the Commission were evident at the last meeting of the Round Table on School Education held on March 26,2010. While the Planning Commission said the number of government-sponsored children should be increased from 560 to 1,000 in the interest of the financial viability of the private partner,the ministry was for sticking to 560 in keeping with the norms in the 3,500 government model schools. HRD Minister Kapil Sibal finally agreed to go for 1,000 children under government-sponsored quota only if the Plan panel was prepared to provide funds. The Plan panel said there should be no restriction on the number of children under management quota while the ministry argued that 50:50 ratio would be better so that equal attention was given to students from the management quota and government-sponsored quota.

That apart,while the ministry was in favour of letting the private entity decide on the school board for affiliation,the Planning Commission was of the opinion that the CBSE should be the sole board of affiliation.