Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has overhauled the rules for setting up private elementary schools, making the process simpler for new applicants while putting stronger compliance measures in place for all existing and upcoming institutions.
The School and Mass Education Department has notified the revised instructions for granting Opening Permission and Certificate of Recognition (CoR) to all private elementary schools, including primary and upper primary institutions, irrespective of their medium of instruction.
In the notification, the government has made it clear that schools will no longer have to furnish an Essentiality Certificate to get opening permission. The move is aimed at cutting procedural delays for organisations planning to start new primary and upper primary schools, regardless of the medium of instruction.
At the same time, the government has retained a set of strict eligibility and infrastructure requirements that every private elementary school must meet to receive a Certificate of Recognition. Applicant bodies must be registered under either the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or the Indian Trusts Act. Schools are also required to uphold constitutional values and function from land that is safe, hygienic and suitable for children.
The revised norms underline the need for basic facilities on campus. This includes sufficient classrooms, separate toilets, safe drinking water, playgrounds, ramps for accessibility, and other child-friendly infrastructure. Institutions must also recruit teaching and non-teaching staff who meet the prescribed qualifications and training standards. In addition, schools will have to adhere to the norms laid out in Sections 19 and 25 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
On the approval process, the notification states that applications for opening permission will first be routed to the Director of Elementary Education for clearance. Once approved, the District Education Officer of the concerned area will grant the formal permission before the start of the academic session.
To ensure schools stick to the rules, the government has tasked District Education Officers and Block Education Officers with carrying out regular inspections and monitoring. These checks will verify whether institutions are complying with the RCFCE Act, 2009 and the Odisha RCFCE Rules, 2010.
The department has cautioned that any breach of the prescribed conditions will lead to action under the relevant legal provisions.
