Students of illegal schools in a fix over switching institutes

Mumbai: The students attending illegal schools in the city are in a fix as they are facing difficulties securing admissions to other institutes because their name is not registered with government portals. As a result, the parents are left with no option but to keep their children enrolled in the unregistered schools.

“My daughter is currently studying in Class 2. In June, I discovered that her school was operating illegally. To avoid future repercussions, I approached a nearby school for admission. Unfortunately, when the new school verified my daughter’s documents, they found that her name was not registered in the Systematic Administrative Reforms for Achieving and Learning by Students (SARAL) portal, leading to the denial of admission,” a parent from Dharavi said.

She added that the administration of her child’s present school assured her that they are working towards the legalisation of the school.

Following directives from the state education commissioner, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued notices to 210 unrecognised schools, compelling them to obtain the necessary permissions from the state government or face closure. As of now, 72 schools have already faced action.

Activist Ataul Khan claimed that the BMC is responsible for this mess and they should ensure the admission of affected students to other legal institutions. “The list of illegal schools was released after June 15 this year. Many parents are confused after seeing their child’s school on the list. If BMC could provide this list in January every year, it would greatly help parents,” he said.

Khan added that in addition to publishing the list on a website, the BMC should display banners outside the identified illegal schools. “BMC should direct nearby schools to admit these students; otherwise, there is a risk of these students being left without education,” he added.

Regarding the registration of student data on the SARAL portal, activist Nitin Dalvi highlighted the issue of schools delaying data entry until they receive full fees from parents. Dalvi urged the BMC to address this problem promptly.

Meanwhile, a senior education officer from the BMC said, “We have already instructed nearby schools to admit students from the illegal schools. So far, we have successfully placed approximately 700 students in other schools after the closure process. For the remaining students, we are in discussions with nearby schools. If necessary, we will admit them to BMC-run schools.”