Bengaluru: A mother of a seven-year-old girl has approached police, accusing a private school in the city of falsely assuring her that it had the necessary affiliation and official recognition before admitting her daughter.Niveditha P (name changed), a resident of Panathur, stated in her complaint that when she visited the school in Gunjur to seek admission for her child to Grade 2, the school counsellor and principal claimed that the institution had obtained all required permissions and licences.
“When we asked to see the documents, we were told they would be shown only after the admission fee was paid. Trusting the school’s assurances, we paid Rs 25,000 online,” Niveditha said. She also paid an additional Rs 1,000 as an application fee.However, even after paying the fees, the school allegedly failed to produce any permission or licence documents, despite repeated follow-ups. “I made enquiries with other parents and acquaintances and learnt that it is being run without any valid permission or licence. I also came to know that several parents were cheated in a similar manner, with the school collecting money without obtaining the required approvals,” she alleged.Niveditha alleged that despite lodging complaints with the block education officer and the Deputy Director of Public Instruction, no action was taken. “Even after receiving the complaints, the school continued to admit students, which clearly shows that it is knowingly and wilfully cheating parents by granting illegal admissions without any permissions,” she said.Expressing concern over her child’s future, the homemaker said her daughter’s education was now in serious jeopardy. “Admissions in other schools have already closed. We are under immense mental stress and have suffered financial loss,” she said.She has urged police to take action against the school, immediately stop it from operating and admitting students, and recover the money she spent on her child’s admission. “It’s not just about the money. Schools and hospitals exist to serve people—it should never be about deceiving them. That is why I decided to approach police,” Niveditha told TOI. The school is part of a chain headquartered in Mumbai.A senior police officer from Sarjapura police station said notices had been issued to the school management and the principal, directing them to submit all documents related to the allegations. “We have also written to the block education officer seeking details on the school’s status with regard to CBSE affiliation and other statutory requirements,” the officer said. BOXOver 900 unauthorised schools in 2024According to the department of school education, more than 900 schools across the state were unauthorised in 2024.Meanwhile, private schools in the state are grappling with delays in the renewal of recognition. “Around 50% of schools did not apply for renewal this time. A total of 5,762 applications were submitted, of which only 761 have been approved so far, while more than 3,697 were rejected. We are awaiting an affidavit that is expected to provide relaxations related to building safety, fire safety, and land conversion, which would enable schools to secure renewal,” said Prabhakar Urs, general secretary of Our Schools, a private schools’ association.The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) had directed block education officers to tag SSLC students from unrecognised schools to nearby govt schools. However, the Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka urged KSEAB to allow students to appear for examinations from their own schools, citing that the recognition renewal issue remains unresolved.The department of school education and literacy said it is examining the matter.
