This has lead to unabated exploitation of students and parents by the unaided private educational institutions across the State. With admission season soon, marathon efforts made by a parents’ association in Gulbarga to get the provisions of the Act implemented have gone in vain, thanks to an irresponsible and non-responsive bureaucracy.

The said Act has remained only on papers. Education authorities are not even aware of its mandatory provisions. It was only when the Gulbarga District Students Parents Association insisted for its implementation, the schools began harassing the students - whose parents dared to question it.

The District Level Education Regulatory Authority (DRA) - headed by deputy commissioner - which is supposed to control all the schools has not been constituted, and if constituted, it has never met. When the association complained against certain educational institutions, the DRA met only once - only to be adjourned - not knowing how to go about with the implementation of rules.

From pillar to post
The association has wandered from pillar to post making 28 representations from July 4, 2005 to January 25, 2007. “Parents are tired, students are harassed. We feel insecure and the association has become defunct,” says its president and activist Shaikh Shafi Ahemed. Ahemed however has not lost heart. The public interest litigation filed by him has been admitted by the Supreme Court, which seeks a direction to the State government to implement the provisions of the Act and the Rules.

The Karnataka Educational Institutions (Classification, Regulation and Prescription of Curricula Etc) Rules 1995, provide for the constitution of Parents Teachers Committee in each school within 30 days of the commencement of the academic year. The committee - having three parents and as many teachers, is headed by the school management secretary, shall have to meet once in three months.
There is another parents-friendly provision. The Karnataka Educational Institutions Selection of Parent Members to the Managing Committee Rules, 2001, which was notified on November 19, 2001, provides for participation of parents in the school management committee. Two parents have to be elected to the managing committee for ensuring transparency, which has remained disregarded.
The Sections 4 to 8 under the Act which includes - location of schools in healthy environs with drinking water, toilets, playground and other facilities - are mandatory for all schools, but none of them have been implemented. There are only  Term Fee, Tuition Fee, and Special Development Fee. However the unaided private schools collect large number of fee under various heads, like registration, betterment, play-way material and teaching aid, etc. And they charge hefty donations for which no receipt is given.