In a unique instance, the High Court of Karnataka has not only handed over the management of a Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) at Kudremukh to the State government, but has also asked it to continue to impart education under the CBSE system.
This is an ad hoc measure initiated by the court in view of the decision taken by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan (KVS), which is presently managing the school, to shift 172 students studying in the school to nearby KVs at Mangalore.
Justice Anand Byrareddy passed the order on petitions filed by Kudremukh Shram Shakthi Sanghatan, an association representing workers of Kudremukh Iron Ore Corporation Ltd. (KIOCL), a parent, and some students studying in the school.
The petitioners had questioned the move by the Ministry of Human Resources Department (MHRD) to close down the school owing to the lack of funding.
The KIOCL was funding the KVS for the benefit of the children of its employees. However, the KIOCL had expressed its inability to continue to fund the school as the company had reduced its employee strength at Kudremukh owing to huge reduction in the company’s activities there.
Following this, the KVS and the MHRD decided to close down the school with effect from April 1.
Meanwhile, in response to the court’s query, the State government expressed its willingness to run the school.
With the KVS expressing its inability to manage the school, the High Court, keeping the interests of the students studying in the school in mind, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Chikmagalur to take over the school and manage it, subject to further orders from the State government.
‘Continue with CBSE’Noticing that the CBSE education system is followed at the school, the court asked the State government to continue the same system while leaving open issues related to ownership of land, building and properties of the school by empowering the State to take decisions in this regard.
