HC orders district-level panels to probe working of govt schools

The committees must be chaired by the principal district judge and include the education officer at the zilla parishad as a member, the court said

Aurangabad: The Bombay high court has directed committees at the district level to probe the functioning of government schools within their jurisdiction and file a comprehensive report before the court within 60 days. The committees must be chaired by the principal district judge and include the education officer at the zilla parishad as a member, the court said.

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The directions were issued on July 31 while the Aurangabad bench of the high court was hearing a suo motu petition based on a recent report in a Marathi daily; the order became available on the court’s website on Saturday. The report mentioned that a school in Ajab Nagar, Nutan Colony, Aurangabad, with 40 students enrolled in kindergarten to class 4, had been running without electricity for over 18 months. It also carried a photo of students seated on the floor, with empty liquor bottles strewn around them.

The court found the suggestion of the amicus curiae, Rashmi Kulkarni, regarding the constitution of a committee in every district to probe the functioning of government schools justified.

Additional government prosecutor SB Yawalkar, appearing on behalf of the state, submitted that the litigation was not adversarial and the government was doing its best to ensure that schools were operated in the most appropriate manner. He said the state was bound to assist the court in case of any deficiencies or shortcomings, but local authorities too should also ensure that schools are maintained as per required standards.

Committees must look into the functioning of all government schools within their jurisdiction, including those operated by the zilla parishad, municipal corporations, municipal councils and panchayat samitis. The cost of inspections would be borne by the district administration and committees would be free to videograph their proceedings and visits. The report must be submitted within 60 days of the order, the court stated.