Gujarat govt to take over school embroiled in controversy

The Gujarat government said on Wednesday that it will take over the management of the DPS (East) School here till the end of the current academic session, so that its students do not suffer.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) canceled the schools's affiliation on Sunday, leading to protests by parents.

The school is embroiled in a controversy after it was found that it had leased out land to an ashram run by absconding godman Nithyananda.

The state education department said last week that its inquiry found that the school management had forged a government NOC submitted to the CBSE for getting affiliation.

"After meeting CBSE officials today, we have taken a decision in the interest of students. The government will take over management of the school until the completion of this sessio," said education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama.

"It will ensure that students from class 1 to class 12 will be allowed to continue their studies in the same school till at least the end of the current session," he said.

Over 800 students of the school, located at Hirapur on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, were left high and dry after the school was closed following withdrawal of its affiliation by the CBSE.

Parents and students launched an agitation against the school's closure. Students stayed put outside the campus late Tuesday night, and continued their protest on Wednesday.

They held placards saying, "We want our school back", "education is power".

A delegation of parents also met governor Acharya Dev Vrat, requesting him to intervene.

School principal Hitesh Puri said the school should be given three months to submit necessary documents and get back the affiliation.

"The affiliation was taken away mid-session, so where will the students go? How will they prepare for the board exams? If school has no NOC, it should be given time (to submit one)," he said.

An inquiry set up by the state government on the CBSE's request to look into alleged illegal lease of land to Nithyananda's ashram revealed that the school had forged the No-Objection-Certificate of the education department which was submitted for CBSE affiliation in 2009.