The Maharashtra government has announced that education officers will face personal liability for the establishment of new illegal schools without proper approvals. A recent government circular issued on Monday emphasizes that disciplinary action will be taken against education officers in such cases. The move aims to curb the proliferation of unauthorized educational institutions, with activists accusing officials of collusion in the establishment of illegal schools.
Despite previous directives to education officers to address the issue before the start of the 2022-23 academic year, the government notes a lack of significant action. During the ongoing winter session in Nagpur, School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar disclosed that 661 illegal schools, including 186 in Mumbai, have been identified. Show cause notices have been issued, but only 78 schools have been closed, and 6,308 students have been relocated to other schools. The circular seeks to hold education officers accountable for preventing the emergence of unauthorized schools and encourages prompt action against existing ones.