Gujarat Private Schools Threaten Shutdown Over FRC Functioning, Government Circular

School managements announce one-day suspension of educational activities on December 9–10 in protest; association warns of complete shutdown if demands remain unaddressed.

Private school managements in Gujarat have threatened to intensify their agitation against what they describe as arbitrary decisions by the Education Department and discriminatory treatment by the state government.

At a meeting of the Saurashtra Zone of the self-financed and private school management association in Rajkot, representatives raised concerns over the functioning of the Fee Regulatory Committee (FRC) and a recent government circular restricting the entry of outsiders into government schools.

Addressing a press conference, Jatin Bharad, general secretary of the Gujarat self-financed and private school managements' association, said school managements were dissatisfied with the way the FRC was interpreting and implementing rules.

FRC Has Become A ‘Fee Reduction Committee’, Says Association

Bharad alleged that the retired judge appointed as the FRC chairman was interpreting rules according to his own understanding, creating difficulties for private school managements.

“The FRC has effectively become a ‘Fee Reduction Committee’,” he said, expressing dissatisfaction with the committee’s functioning.

The association maintained that the present approach was causing resentment among private school managements and called for changes in the way fee-related matters were being handled.

Private Schools Question Exclusion From Government Circular

The association also expressed strong opposition to a state government circular that prohibits the entry of outsiders into government schools.

School management representatives questioned why private schools had been excluded from the scope of the circular and alleged that the government was treating private educational institutions differently.

They described the approach as discriminatory and said private schools were facing step-motherly treatment from the state government.

One-Day Suspension Of Educational Activities Announced

Warning that the situation could lead to a larger confrontation, the association announced that educational activities would be suspended for one day on December 9–10 in protest against what it termed arbitrary actions by the Education Department.

The association said it would consider a complete shutdown of private schools if the issues were not resolved.

The meeting in Rajkot reflected growing discontent among private school managements, with the association indicating that it was prepared to adopt a more aggressive course of action if the government failed to address its concerns.