Setting up private schools won’t be that easy anymore

Those planning to start private high schools will face tough challenges. From this academic year, the state government has fixed new norms for opening private unaided (permanent) high schools in Karnataka.

Until now, the government used to give permission to at least 50% of the applicants planning to set up private schools.

The department of public instructions has issued an order listing the new norms to all officials of the department.

The move comes after officials found that for many people who were granted permission to set up private high schools when there was no need to set up a high school.

“When we checked the places where we had granted new high schools, we realised that there was no need for setting up the schools. Also the number of students admitted to those schools was very less,” said an official from the department.

“Every year, we get applications even after the commencement of classes [that is after May 30]. In most cases, the permission was granted till mid-June. But most schools failed to enroll even the minimum number of students and closed in a few years,” he said.

But from this academic year, a district committee has to do spot inspection of the school and submit a report to the department.