The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken a firm stance against Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Sion, issuing a notice regarding the institution's operation from an unauthorised building.
The commission has instructed the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) education officer (North) to take immediate action, impose a financial penalty, and revoke the school’s ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC), which was granted despite missing key documents. It further mandated that no new recognition be granted until action is taken against the school administration.
The Commission's action follows concerns raised about the school's compliance with regulations, specifically the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, and the legality of the school premises. Established in 1939, the school has come under scrutiny due to an inquiry under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which revealed that the school possesses only a temporary occupation certificate (OC) obtained in 1982 and has been operating without RTE approval. For any school to operate, essential documents such as the property card, building commencement certificate, and an approved building plan are mandatory.
The information was brought to the attention of the Commission by Nitin Dalvi, President of the Mumbai Parents, Teachers, and Students Association and an advocate for education rights after he filed an RTI request with the executive engineer (planning & development) of the MCGM seeking official records of ownership documents, layout plans, and building approvals.
The official response from the BMC, as obtained by the Free Press Journal, confirmed that there was no record of an approved building plan in its archives.
The Commission has also expressed serious apprehension about the potential risks to student safety. The letter from the Commission highlights concerns that operating a school in an unauthorised structure endangers the lives of the pupils. Furthermore, the school's location at the base of a hill raises fears of potential harm to students in the event of a landslide or building collapse.
Expanding on this, Dalvi states, "safety of students is the top most priority. Should the government fail to take appropriate action to ensure student safety and relocate them to a recognised school, it would be held accountable for any future casualties.”
