The Directorate of Elementary Education has served notices on 40 nursery and primary schools in the district. From the current academic year, obtaining an ‘Opening Permission’ has been made mandatory for new schools. Earlier they needed to apply for recognition after they began functioning.
Official sources told The Hindu here on Saturday these 40 schools were identified through a survey conducted in the district. Several of these schools were found operating from houses.
These schools have been served with the first of the three mandatory notices directing them to apply for recognition within a period of 15 days.
Section 18 (1) of the rules under the Right of Children To Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) states that no school other than those owned or controlled by the State Government or a local body can function without obtaining the recognition.
Private schools found violating this rule would be levied a penalty of Rs. 1 lakh on the first day of functioning and Rs. 10,000 for every day from thereon, the sources said.
After the school gives a reply, the directorate would either accord recognition or serve a second notice on it if found not complying with norms regarding land requirement and other facilities.
If the reply was found to be inadequate again, the final notice would be served on the school to closed down, an official said.
The Education Department officials would assist all the students of such schools to gain admission in another school.
In April, notices were served on 124 private primary and nursery schools in the district. Thirty schools have already been closed.
