24 February 2018 23:38 IST

KOCHI: Kerala CBSE School Managements Association has urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to put on hold the government decision to close down the functioning of Classes 1 to 8 in various CBSE schools citing lack of recognition from the State and central agencies concerned.

In a representation submitted to Mr. Vijayan, the association representatives said that nearly 600 of the 1, 400 CBSE schools in the State were eligible for the benefits of minority status. T. P. M. Ibrahim Khan, president of the association, said that the provisions of the RTE Act cannot be made applicable to the schools run by the minorities, either religious or linguistic. The RTE Act and the rules never empowered the government to close down the classes up to standard 8 in the CBSE affiliated schools under the guise of not obtaining recognition, he claimed.

The representation said that the notices issued by the educational authorities to the CBSE schools for closing down classes up to standard 8, saying that the affiliation granted by the CBSE is only for standard 9, 10, 11, and 12, remains unsustainable under law and as per the provisions of the affiliation bye-laws applicable for the CBSE schools. However, such notices have created confusion among the public and the managements.

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It said that the affiliation bye-laws and all other orders issued by the government make it clear that Classes 1 to 8 are also integral party of the secondary school. Thereafter, those schools fulfilling the conditions stipulated by CBSE can file application for granting affiliation up to senior secondary level. The eligible schools are given affiliation up to standard 12 after fulfilling the conditions, it said.

ends/gkk