Mumbai: BMC shuts 62 'unauthorised' schools; 210 more schools to face action unless they do this

Mumbai: The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) education department has closed 62 private schools in Mumbai this academic year, after they were declared unauthorised, reports The Indian Express.

According to the report, 210 more such 'unauthorised' have also been given time until June to obtain the required permission from the state government or face closure.

Children from these 62 schools were accommodated in nearby schools to ensure no academic loss to them. Around 1,500 students were adjusted in nearby schools, following counseling of their parents, says the report.

A list of 269 schools was declared by BMC’s education department in May last year. The action by the civic body came after the state’s school education department had instructed all local authorities act against the schools featured in the list of unauthorised schools in their respective jurisdictions.

An official from the BMC’s education department told The Indian Express, “These schools were served notices, followed by individual hearings for them to present their stand. All of them lacked basic permission required from the state government to open schools, let alone other permissions such as Right To Education (RTE) approval, affiliation to a board, among all, which must be obtained subsequently.”

It has also been reported that following the the crackdown, 13 schools obtained government permission to run as private schools and acquired the status of self-financed school. However, 16 new schools were found to be unauthorised in Mumbai in current academic year, taking the count of unauthorised schools to 210. These schools have until June to obtain the status of self-financed school, without which they too will be closed and children will be adjusted in nearby schools.