CBSE can’t dictate unaided private schools: NISA
New Delhi: National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA), has accused the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for harassing schools and criticized for imposing penalty of Rs 50,000 on schools for not furnishing confidential information. NISA has demanded for immediate withdrawal of the illegal circular that imposed fine for not furnishing information or it will be forced to approach the court.
National President of the organisation Kulbhushan Sharma said “The basic purpose of setting up the CBSE is to conduct examinations, provide certifications and maintain the standard of education in affiliated schools. However, the board is continually deviating from its purpose and continuously intervening in the operations of the schools.” He told that sometimes board tries to intervene in the appointment of the principals, sometimes pressurizes for installing of CCTV in school buses. Now it is getting into micro-management of school and imposing penalty which is completely against the idea of school autonomy. He said that CBSE is going beyond its jurisdiction and encroaching into constitutional rights of schools and therefore NISA will be forced to approach the court against it.
It is known that CBSE has issued a circular CBSE/AffJ4D/Circular/2017 seeking confidential data pertaining to the day-to-day operations of all affiliated schools. Dr. Amit Chandra, National convener of NISA, says that according to the bylaws, the role of CBSE is limited to conducting the examination. It does not have any right to impose penalties on schools if they fail to share information other than what is required to get affiliation from it. Amit said that, if necessary, only the state government has the right to seek information related to school operations etc. and private schools keep providing such information to the state governments from time to time. Amit said that we demand from CBSE to withdraw the circular seeking confidential information and the notice to impose penalty of Rs 50K from schools which fail to provide those information. If this is not done at the earliest, we will have to compel the court to knock on the door.