Maharashtra child rights body calls for reforms in policy for minority educational institutions

NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) on Monday said the policy of private educational institutions getting concessions by opting for minority status needs to be reformed at the government level. The commission's chairperson advocate Susieben Shah said educational institutions cannot misuse the policy and do injustice to the minority communities.

Shah spoke at a joint meeting with the education department on the Right to Education (RTE) Act. "The state government should fix a minimum percentage for minority students while granting licenses to such schools by implementing the rules set by the Central government for educational institutions with minority status," an official release quoting Shah said. Schools that have been granted minority status should be inspected regularly, she said.

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The MSCPCR has encountered several complaints about schools in Mumbai city and suburbs denying admission to children citing minority status, the release said. Education officer Suraj Mandhare explained that as per the Central government's rule, the state government has been given the right to determine the percentage of respective communities in the minority educational institutions. Before fixing the quota, all the minority schools across the state will now be inspected, he said.