‘St Mary’s meets criteria of minority unaided school’

St Mary's School in Camp, which has been served a show-cause notice by the education department of Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) for alleged violation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, has maintained that it is a 'minority unaided school' and fulfill all criteria to this effect.

School principal Sujata Mallic Kumar said the application that was made to obtain minority certificate is pending with the state government.

When asked whether the school would carry out fresh rounds of admissions for Upper Kindergarten (UKG) and Class I as sought by the education department, she said the school will convey its stand while replying to a show-cause notice issued by ZP.

"We are a law abiding institution and will follow all due processes of the law. We will continue to serve as we have done for the past 146 years," said the principal.

St Mary's School authorities are expected to submit their reply within a week's time, by Wednesday. The school, which had conducted admission for UKG and Class I in the second and third week of December last year, was all set to declare list of selected candidates next week.

Meanwhile, acting director of the State Directorate for Education (primary) Mahaveer Mane said madrassas, vedic schools and educational institutions primarily imparting religious education will only be exempted from the RTE Act as minority institutions. "Rest of the schools, even if they are religious or linguistic minorities, will have to comply with the RTE Act,"he said.

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