The state government has derecognised 235 schools after a recent inquiry revealed rampant irregularities in awarding recognition to intermediate schools under the Uttar Pradesh Board.

Allegedly, these schools were “below standard and did not fulfill even the basic requirements” of the Board norms. This decision has also put a question mark on the functioning of the Board’s recognition committee.

“In most cases, the authorities did not have proper documents pertaining to the land where their schools have come up. Some were running schools in one or two rooms sans a playground, laboratory and teaching staff,” said a source in the Board.

Secretary to the state Higher Education department, Jitendra Kumar, recently ordered the cancellation of the affiliations to the Board office in Allahabad. The order also asked the authorities to accommodate students of the derecognised schools to other nearby schools. The state government has asked the Board to send a compliance report on the accommodation of nearly 1.5 lakh students by November 10.

Allahabad District Inspector of School Dinesh Singh said 15 cancellation notices have been received in Allahabad. Among others, 29 schools in Kaushambi, 36 in Aligarh, 28 in Varanasi, 22 in Agra and seven in Mathura have not met the requisite standards of the Board.

Board Secretary Prabha Tripathi said: “It’s a routine process and the government has powers to cancel the recognition of any school which do not meet the Board’s criteria.”