Education department opposes CBSE draft Bill 2013

March 12, 2013, 12:00 am


The Education Department has decided to file an objection to the draft of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Bill 2013, protesting the absence of an active role for the state government.

The Bill was placed for discussion in the meeting of State Education Secretaries in New Delhi on January 29. Express had reported two days before the meeting about the state government�s apprehension towards the draft of the CBSE Bill, which seeks statutory status to the CBSE.

�We will file an objection with the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The draft Bill is being scrutinised by one of our consultants who will help us file a proper objection,� said Primary and Secondary Education Secretary G Kumar Naik.

While most states were oblivious of the draft Bill contents, Naik said even Tamil Nadu backed Karnataka in the meeting to oppose the bill in its present form.

State�s contentions

An important demand that Karnataka will make in its objection, Naik said is to ensure a statutory role of the state government in the Bill, a copy of which is with Express. Chapter V of the Bill, which deals with affiliation of schools, states �Any school intending to seek affiliation of the CBSE may make an application to the CBSE provided that copies of the application shall also be submitted to the State government.�

The �state government� seems to have no role in giving its clearance to the school for grant of affiliation. Karnataka is also expected to ask for consideration of the state government�s objection regarding continuation of affiliation of a school.

Further, there is no mention of compliance with the RTE for the purpose of granting affiliation to the schools. Even in Chapter VI, which deals with duties and obligations of affiliated schools, there is no mandate that schools must implement the 25 per cent RTE reservation.

Schools, however, are required to appoint teachers as per RTE or National Council for Teacher Education norms.

�We have been able to exercise some rights given to us by the RTE Act over these schools. We fear there will be a parallel administration exclusively for these schools through this Bill,� he said.