Court ultimatum to TN on private schools

In a significant development, the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to act within 12 weeks on the recommendations made by the Director of Private Schools regarding the permanent recognition of private schools and the upgrading of primary schools to middle schools. This order follows a plea by the All India Private Educational Institutions Association, highlighting the challenges faced by underprivileged students in accessing education beyond primary levels due to the lack of middle school facilities.

The Director's recommendations, made in March 2025, support granting permanent recognition to private schools and upgrading primary schools to middle schools to ensure better implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The petitioners argued that underprivileged students, who benefit from the 25% RTE reservation in class 1, struggle to find seats in higher classes due to limited middle school availability.

The state government, through Additional Advocate-General J Ravindran, responded by noting that the director’s recommendations are conditional and need verification. Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan mandated the education secretary to review and make decisions on these recommendations within 12 weeks.

This development underscores the ongoing efforts to address the challenges in the education sector and ensure equitable access to quality education for all students.