Maharashtra education department forms expert committees

The department released a list of non-government experts — including teachers, principals and members of school managements — who will be a part of the various committees under the state board. These committees were a common feature until 2013 but were disbanded from 2014, after which several members moved court over the issue.

Over four years after the previous committees of experts under the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) were disbanded, the education department has finally formed new committees.

The education department has formed new committees for Schools. (HT File Photo( Representational Image))

In a GR issued on September 13, the department released a list of non-government experts — including teachers, principals and members of school managements — who will be a part of the various committees under the state board. These committees were a common feature until 2013 but were disbanded from 2014, after which several members moved court over the issue. As a result of on-going litigations, the committees did not have any non-government representatives. The committees are responsible for key decisions taken by the board including conducting exams and passing of the budget.

Father Francis Swamy, principal of St Mary’s ICSE School, who has been appointed as a non-government member on a board committee, said, “These committees play a very crucial role in the overall working of the board. It is good the government has finally appointed all the members.”

Manoj Patil, who was a member of a committee that was disbanded in 2014, said the government gave no reasons while disbanding it. “Now none of the old members feature in it [the committees], clearly showing that the government wants to appoint its own people,” Patil said.

A senior official from the education department said that the committees were formed on the instructions of the current state education minister Ashish Shelar. “We do not know why there was a delay in doing it. But now that it has been done, they will be fully functional,” said the official.