North MCD plans to merge schools

Move aims to avoid wasteful spending

As a part of its austerity measures, the funds-starved North Corporation is geared up to merge schools with “abnormally” low attendance in its areas to avoid “wasteful expenditure” on running classes in such institutions.

A proposal was passed in North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday.

“Schools where the attendance is low are to be merged. Some institutions are left with low number of students because of the relocation of people from one area to another due to commercialisation,” the proposal said.

“The abnormally low enrolment in such schools results in wasteful expenditure on running classes besides under utilisation of staff posted there,” it added.

Schools identified
About seven schools have been identified to be merged with nearby schools. These include schools in Shakti Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Jahangirpuri, Krishan Nagar and Dev Nagar.

“The distance between these schools and the proposed schools will be less than 200 metres,” said a senior official with the North Corporation.

The civic agency is planning to merge these seven schools with the nearby 11 institutions. These schools are located in Lal Kuan, Jama Masjid, Matia Mahal, Pahar Ganj, Pratap Nagar and Ahata Thakur Das Marg.

“There is adequate space in the schools into which the merger will take place. These 11 institutions can accommodate the total number of students after the merger,” the official said.

“The staff so rendered surplus will be posted against the vacant posts in other schools under the North civic agency,” he added.

After the merger, the building vacated will be used by civic agency for other purposes. “They will either be given to zonal authorities or will be placed at the disposal of Land and Estate Department of the North Corporation,” the official said.

In all, there are nearly 680 municipal schools under the limits of the North Corporation. As many as  over 4.5 lakh students are enrolled in them.