HC dismisses parents’ PIL against April school start

Panaji: The high court on Friday dismissed a PIL filed by some parents challenging the April start of the academic year for classes VI to X and Class XII.Advocate general Devidas Pangam said the HC dismissed the objection of the parents that the decision to start the academic year in April instead of June was a hurried one, made without taking anyone into confidence. “We told the HC that govt conducted several meetings at the taluka level with parents’ associations and teachers, and many interactions took place,” Pangam told the media after the hearing. “Govt took the final decision only after considering all the issues.”Pangam added, “We told the court that the main reason for starting the academic year in April is to increase the number of working days to complete 1,200 instructional hours according to the National Education Policy.”Another issue raised by the parents was that the decision was not put before the cabinet. “We told the HC that according to the rules of business, the decision doesn’t have to be placed before the cabinet; it only needs the minister’s approval,” he said. “The HC rejected this ground raised by the parents.”As for infrastructure, govt told the court that CBSE and other boards have been conducting full-day classes in April for many years without any complaints from students or parents.“We told the court that it is the people conducting extracurricular activities and summer camps for children who are raising objections to the April start of the academic year due to their financial interests,” Pangam said. “The petition is not in the interest of students.”He added, “Govt took the decision in the interest of students to ensure that they don’t lag behind students from other boards and states.” He said 15,000 students studying in the CBSE and other boards and affiliated schools in Goa, don’t face any problems.