Maharashtra Education Department Suspends Minority Status Certificates of 20 Private Schools Amid Controversy

The Primary Education Directorate, on March 4, suspended the minority status certificates granted to 20 private schools across Maharashtra following growing controversy surrounding such approvals. Among the affected institutions are five schools in Mumbai run by the Poddar Education Trust. Over the past month, several concerns have been raised regarding the legitimacy of minority certificates issued to certain schools. Parents and various parent associations from different parts of the state had also voiced strong objections. They alleged that some institutions granted minority status were not complying with existing regulations. Mukund Kirdat, president of a parents’ association, had formally lodged complaints with the education department regarding these alleged irregularities.

According to the complaints submitted by Kirdat, some schools were reportedly violating norms related to the admission process, fee structures, and other regulatory requirements. Of the 20 private schools whose minority status certificates have now been put on hold, six are located in Mumbai, including the five run by the Poddar Education Trust. Ten other schools are situated in the Vidarbha region, including districts such as Buldhana, Amravati, Yavatmal, and Chandrapur. Additionally, one school from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, two from Thane, and one from Kolhapur are also included in the list of institutions facing suspension of minority status recognition.

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Sharad Gosavi, Director of the Primary Education Directorate, confirmed that the action was taken in accordance with orders issued by the state’s minority affairs department. Data from the department shows a large number of minority-run institutions across the state, including 2,599 Muslim schools with 1,022 recognised institutions, 414 Sikh schools, 636 Jain schools with 38 recognised institutions, 5,492 Christian schools with 1,962 recognised, 896 Parsi schools with 168 recognised, and 186 Buddhist schools with 36 recognised institutions. Additionally, there are 13,832 linguistic minority schools with 2,380 recognised institutions. In total, Maharashtra has 24,055 schools, of which 5,714 hold minority status. Authorities initiated action after allegations surfaced that some institutions were not adhering to the rules governing minority educational institutions.