Centre's committee to inspect 'shop-like schools' in Delhi comprises of yes-men: HC

The Delhi High Court on Friday said a committee appointed by the Centre to inspect "shop-like schools" operating in the city under the NIOS comprises of persons who are bound to say "yes-yes" and not find anything wrong with them.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar made the observation after the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) claimed inspection of four centres found that they were complying with the norms.

The ministry, represented by central government standing counsel Monika Arora, told the court that the committee visited four study centres which were found to be larger than shops as they measured around 800 square yards.

She also told the bench that the study centres were catering to the needs of the children, up to Class VIII, from nearby minority communities.

The court directed the ministry to file the findings along with an affidavit and listed the matter for hearing in January.

The court had on November 19 asked the Centre and the Delhi government how such "shop-like schools", without playgrounds, were being allowed to function in the national capital.

It had also asked the MHRD how the schools were operating under the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) when they "looked like shops".

The bench's observation and queries came after perusing photographs of schools run by MS Educational and Welfare Trust in north Delhi.

It directed the HRD ministry to file an affidavit indicating on what basis such schools were being allowed to operate in the city.

The court was hearing two PILs -- one by Delhi resident Mohd Kamran seeking action against such schools and another by the trust challenging a Delhi government order directing closure of some of its schools.

The schools' photographs were annexed in the PILs.

The trust, in its defence, has contended that it was a minority trust school accredited with the NIOS.

It said it was following the NIOS syllabus provided by the MHRD.