NEW DELHI: Directorate of Education has extended the provisional recognition granted to schools that had applied during a special drive in March-April, 2013, as it hasn't been able to inspect all of them. The extension is for another six months and expires on September 30, 2014.

"Since the time was short for completing the inspection of all schools given to which provisional recognitions were granted for a period of for one year...by district authorities, as well as keeping in view the board examinations, it has been decided...to extend the period of provisional recognition for a further period of six months i.e. up to September 30, 2014, for smooth conduct of inspections by the district authorities and further processing of files at HQ level," says the circular issued by the DoE.

Originally, recognition had been granted for one year -April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014- to schools which had applied by February 15, 2014. Till March 2014, provisional recognition had been given to 667 schools -324 of these were till Class VIII and 343 till Class V. "No action will be initiated against unrecognized schools found functioning from academic year 2014-15 onwards i.e. (April 1, 2014) under the provisions of (Right to Education) Act 2009 till the extended period," assures the department's message. The RTE Act permits only recognized schools to run.

The special drive had been prompted by a crisis that emerged in March, 2013 - with the deadline of March 31 for the implementation of the RTE Act approaching, hundreds of unrecognized private schools were facing closure. They couldn't be recognized at the time for not meeting minimum land requirements for recognition as set by the Master Plan Delhi, 2021. By March-end, the land norms had been relaxed drastically (from 800 square-metres to roughly 166 sq.m) and the schools - many of them budget ones operating in slums and unauthorized colonies - were invited to apply. These were, by stages, granted provisional recognition and will be inspected to ensure they match the revised criteria. In March, 2014, the DoE had issued a circular asking all schools that have been granted provisional recognition to furnish their Class V and Class VII roll-strengths to the department for inclusion of these kids in the department's "admission plan."