HC quashes BEO order transfering students of govt school

The High Court on Tuesday quashed an order issued by a Block Education Officer (BEO) transfering the students and teachers of a Kannada medium school here to another institution citing poor strength. 

Justice Anand Byrareddy quashed the BEO’s order dated August 9, 2011, on a petition by the Arya Vidya Shala Parents’ Association. The BEO had recommended that the students and teachers of Arya Vidya Shala, Gandhinagar, be transferred, after he found during an inspection that only 56 of the 71 students were present. 

The petitioner contended that the Deputy Director of Public Instructions (DDPI), Bangalore North, acted on the BEO’s report and transferred four teachers of the school to another government institution. Subsequently, a circular was issued on September 23, 2011, transfering all the students as well as the assets of the school to another government institution. Besides, the school was ordered to be closed down, which affected the students who were to write the SSLC examinations. 

In his order, Justice Byrareddy said the State government had not justified its act as per the Karnataka Education Act, 1983. When ICSE and CBSE schools can run with small number of students, why there was a separate rule for institutions following the State syllabus, he asked. The judge further observed that the said school had been catering to the needs of a small section of the society for a period of time. The court ordered that the SSLC students can write exams for 2013-2014.