The Madras High Court has directed American International School at Taramani to subject itself to an inquiry initiated by the School Education Department seeking explanation as to how could it function without obtaining recognition and subjecting itself to the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act of 2009.
Disposing of a writ petition filed by the school, Justice G. Jayachandran directed the Chief Educational Officer to furnish to the school, within seven days, certain government orders as well as circulars sought by the institution. Thereafter, the school was directed to submit its detailed reply to a show cause notice issued by the CEO in May this year.
After granting 15 days’ time for the school to submit its reply, the judge ordered that the CEO should consider the reply and pass appropriate orders on the issue within 30 days thereafter. The directions were issued after Special Government Pleader C. Munusamy told the court that the school had rushed to the court even before the commencement of inquiry.
He brought it to the notice of the judge that after the issuance of the notice, the school wanted the CEO to furnish to it a G.O. issued in October 2012 and certain proceedings of the Education Department as well as the Chief Secretary issued in 2018.
Though the CEO was willing to furnish the particulars, the school had rushed to the High Court with the present writ petition with a plea to restrain the CEO from taking any coercive action just because it had been asked to show cause why it should not be closed down for want of recognition.