HC direction to TN govt on state edu panels

The Madras High Court today directed the state government not to make any changes or disturb in any manner functioning of the panels constituted by it recently to improve the curriculum of the State Board on par with international standards.
Justice N Kirubakaran was passing interim orders on a petition filed by V Ramalingam, father of a school-going boy in Kancheepuram District.
The judge said "in view of the advent of NEET, the necessity to review the curriculum has become imminent as the syllabus has not been revised for more than 10 years and the students are facing lot of hurdles in pursuing their higher education."

Therefore, the government has taken the right step to constitute two committees -- 10 members Curriculum Framework Committee and 13-member High Level Committee, the judge said.
The Committees comprise eminent educationalists and bureaucrats.
As the Committees have already started functioning, in the interest of students, the government shall not either make any changes in the "named committee members including the secretary, school education department and other bureaucrats or disturb their functioning, in any manner," the judge said.

The petitioner prayed that the committees function as court monitored ones and sought a direction not to disturb their functioning in any manner besides continuing with the existing members until the object of the said committees are fully achieved.

The judge then adjourned the matter toAugust 23.
The judge also directed the school education secretary to file an affidavit as to what steps are being taken to enhance the quality of education to take on competition at the national level, by then.