The High Court stay on the CBSE circular making it mandatory for all affiliated schools to offer free education to single girl children from Class VI onwards has spelt relief for such institutions. They say the court intervention is timely and crucial for containing a directive that has not been given much thought out.

While many private schools had dismissed the measure as another faulty plan which was unlikely to give the desired result, the question haunting most was about who would foot the bill.

The government had passed the directive, but had given no explanation about how schools were supposed to meet the expenses. Girls’ schools were especially perturbed with many claiming that they had a large number of students who were the only child of their parents and offering the waiver would put their finances in the doldrums. While many said this would cause an immediate escalation in fees for other students, others felt the move might backfire with schools refusing to take in single girl children. Principals feel the CBSE decision is a knee-jerk reaction to the HRD ministry’s direction as most single girl children who attend private schools come from families where discrimination does not exist.

Source: HT

Date: 21Jan06

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