Significant safety and compliance concerns have been found at 66 unrecognized schools in Chandigarh, according to recent inspections by the UT education department. Thousands of children’s welfare and education are at risk due to a number of inconsistencies and flaws that have been discovered during these inspections, which were conducted by the Chandigarh district education officer (DEO) in accordance with building regulations and the principles of the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
The condition of Mandeep Public School in Ramleela Ground, Maloya, which runs out of a single room and lacks essential amenities like separate restrooms for boys and girls, is among the most alarming finds. Additionally, the school is unable to get the required safety certificates, such as a fire department no-objection certificate (NOC) and a fit-for-occupation certificate. These shortcomings are a sign of larger problems that many of the institutions under inspection—the majority of which are located on the outskirts of the city.
The inspection report also mentions the Maloya-based LM Model School. It is available to kids in Class 5 and features separate classrooms. The UT education department or the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) do not recognize the school and its teachers’ qualifications are at least which fulfil the requirements stipulated by NCTE in India. With most teachers earning between ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 per month, this further reiterates on how much these institutions fail to support their teaching staff members properly.
The inspections were initiated in response to the tragic Carmel tree collapse incident in 2022, where a schoolgirl lost her life after a tree fell on her. Despite being given a 15-day window to address the identified discrepancies, it remains unclear whether any schools have taken corrective action.
Notably, many of these schools, including Gayatri Model School in Vikas Nagar, Mauli Jagran, operate from residential properties. Gayatri Model School runs up to Class 5 with 43 students, but like many others, it lacks separate classrooms and adequate facilities. Similarly, Green Valley Public School in Dadumajra village, although providing mid-day meals to students, does so without a proper mid-day-meal kitchen, highlighting the makeshift nature of its operations.
The UT director of school education, Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar, has urged parents to avoid sending their children to unrecognised schools and instead consider government or registered private schools. Shipra Bansal, Chairperson of the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR), has also expressed concern. She announced plans to convene a meeting with the UT education department to address these issues, emphasizing that even some recognised schools lack proper NOCs from the fire department.
These inspections mark a critical step towards ensuring the safety and quality of education in Chandigarh. As the authorities push for compliance and safety, the future of thousands of children depends on swift and effective action to rectify these alarming shortcomings
