Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has issued revised guidelines for granting permission to open private elementary schools across the state, laying down stricter compliance norms while removing the mandatory requirement of submitting an Essentiality Certificate for establishing new schools.

The School and Mass Education Department has notified the revised instructions for granting Opening Permission and Certificate of Recognition (CoR) to all private elementary schools, including primary and upper primary institutions, irrespective of their medium of instruction.

One of the most significant changes is that submission of an Essentiality Certificate will no longer be mandatory for obtaining Opening Permission for a new elementary school. This is expected to simplify the approval process for eligible institutions.

However, the government has retained and reinforced several mandatory conditions for recognition.

Eligibility conditions

The notification states that an applicant institution or organisation must:

• Be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or the Indian Trusts Act.

• Ensure that the proposed school conforms to the values enshrined in the Constitution.

• Have adequate land in a safe, sanitary and healthy environment.

• Provide essential infrastructure, including classrooms, toilets, drinking water, playgrounds, ramps and other basic facilities.

• Appoint qualified and trained teaching as well as non-teaching staff as prescribed under existing norms.

• Comply with the standards laid down under Sections 19 and 25 of the RCFCE Act, 2009.

The notification clearly outlines the approval mechanism for new schools.

Applications for Opening Permission will first be recommended to the Director, Elementary Education for approval. After approval, the concerned District Education Officer (DEO) will issue the Opening Permission before the commencement of the academic session.

Monitoring by officials

The government has directed DEOs and Block Education Officers (BEOs) to ensure proper verification and continuous monitoring of schools.

It has also mandated periodic inspections to verify compliance with the provisions of the RCFCE Act, 2009 and the Odisha RCFCE Rules, 2010. The notification warns that any violation of the prescribed norms will invite action under the relevant provisions of law.