BHUBANESWAR: The state government has eased the approval process for setting up private schools by abolishing the mandatory requirement for an Essentiality Certificate, which reportedly caused procedural delays.

School and Mass Eduction (SME) secretary N Thirumala Naik said Essentiality Certificate wasn’t being issued for a long time and was also being misinterpreted preventing or delaying the procedure of opening of private schools at primary and upper primary level. He said there was also possibility of misuse of the provision that determined in which area a school should be allowed to open.

The SME department issued guidelines in line with the provisions of Odisha Education Act, 1969, read with the Odisha Education (Establishment, Recognition and Management of Private Upper Primary Schools) Rules, 1991 and in conformity with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RCFCE) Act, 2009 and the Odisha RCFCE Rules, 2010. The guidelines, however, clarify that no private elementary school can be established or function without obtaining Opening Permission and a Certificate of Recognition under the RCFCE Act, 2009. To obtain Opening Permission and the Certificate of Recognition, the applicant institution must be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or the Indian Trusts Act.

The proposed school must uphold the Constitution and be located in a safe, sanitary and healthy environment with adequate land and essential infrastructure, including classrooms, separate toilets, safe drinking water, a playground, ramps and other basic facilities, that includes provision of fire safety, officials said. The management must also appoint qualified and trained teaching and non-teaching staff in accordance with prescribed norms and comply with the standards laid down under sections 19 and 25 of the RCFCE Act, 2009.

Under the revised procedure, school authorities will have to apply for a Certificate of Recognition under section 18 of the RCFCE Act. Applications seeking permission to open a school will be scrutinised by the respective district education officer (DEO) before being forwarded to the Director of Elementary Education for approval. Once the proposal is approved, the DEO will issue the final opening permission, which needs to be obtained before the commencement of the relevant academic session.