Face2News/Chandigarh
An Open General Body Meeting of unrecognized schools operating in the rural areas of U.T. Chandigarh was held today at Dr. Ambedkar Bhawan, Sector 37-A. Organized by the Sarvhara Education Welfare Association (SEWA), the meeting aimed to pass a Memorandum of Demands for the recognition of 94 schools that have been serving underprivileged children for decades on a nominal fee structure.
Former Mayor Shri Arun Sood, the Chief Guest, reiterated his support and confirmed discussions with the Hon’ble Governor. Councilor Shri Satinder Singh Sidhu and former Deputy Mayor Shri Kuljeet Singh Sandhu also pledged full support for the schools’ recognition and legal protection.
Mr. Daljeet Singh, President of SEWA said “For decades, our schools have been educating the children of the poorest families in Chandigarh’s villages—without support, without recognition, and often under threat. We are not asking for special treatment, only for a fair and uniform policy that acknowledges our contribution and allows us to continue serving these communities legally and respectfully. The time for delay is over—we need recognition now.”
(SUBHEAD)Most of these schools have been running for over 25 years, established before the introduction of Municipal Corporation regulations or building byelaws in Chandigarh villages. Despite fulfilling educational needs and undergoing inspections under the RTE Act, 2009, and Rules, 2010, these schools have repeatedly been denied recognition. In 2019 and again in 2024, the DEO recommended municipal action instead, resulting in notices citing building and zoning violations—many of which the schools argue cannot be applied retrospectively.
In response, SEWA engaged with elected representatives across parties, leading to the unanimous passing of a resolution in the Municipal Corporation House on September 26, 2024, seeking cancellation of restrictive byelaws. However, the recognition process has remained stalled.
Following a formal grievance submitted to the Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator of U.T. Chandigarh, a SEWA delegation was assured that the issue would be resolved, with at least provisional recognition considered. Recently, the Education Department issued letters to only 12 schools without consulting SEWA or providing a uniform policy—leaving the majority of schools uncertain about their future.
To address this, SEWA convened another General Body Meeting on July 12, demanding a clear and uniform recognition policy for all rural schools. A new memorandum will be submitted to the Education Secretary during an upcoming meeting.
During the meeting, members observed a two-minute silence to pay their respects to the school principal who was tragically murdered by teenage students in Hisar. They expressed deep sorrow over the incident and prayed for the peace of the departed soul.
