Not a single good school in state

Is it not surprising & even stunning to hear the title. No, its not me who is becoming harsh but it is the title of a news that was been written in Mumbai Mirror yesterday.

Maharashtra government has launched a scheme in 2001 which gives reward 1 lakh in cash to the educational institutes with good performance, a clean track record & a transparent admissions process. But very few schools have matched the required government criteria. The scheme gives away 8 lakh rupees each year for 8 different regions but very few schools have met the standards each year.

Schools applying for this award should: -

• Be registered under the Mumbai Public Trust Act (1950) & societies registration act 1860.


• Not propagate any religion or caste.


• Have made notable contributions to the field of education in the past 7 years.


• Have all basic facilities as prescribed by the government, including a playground, a library, a science laboratory.


• Have a transparent & credible admissions process. It should have no complaints of donations against it.


• Be free of complaints of mismanagement, corruption or misbehaviour. No case should have been filed against its employees or members.


• Should encourage students to compete for scholarship exams, various competitions, science exhibitions, sports activities, arts & music.


• Have results that are at par with the average SSC & HSC board.


• Be pro-active about improving performance of the average students & giving them counselling.

Wow, lots of criteria to be fulfilled and to the receive the one lakh rupees, the school should be at least 50 years old. (Now was this rule of 50 years serious!!!!!)

I am happy to hear the news that the schools who teach the students the basic rules of life, provide the basic education, i.e. teach a kid to learn A, B, C........, who teach the students the basic cleanliness & culture have now themselves to live up to the standards. The institutions who themselves claim to give the best educational values as well as culture are now trying to reach somewhere.

But people who stimulate the children to study, take scholarships etc etc i.e. the TEACHERS, should not their academic qualifications be given importance. If one expects the students to study the needed portion, play sports, enter various competitions & stay ahead, should not the teachers be expected to run with the same speed.

The government is making a limit .......... Only those institutions who been in the Field of education for a certain period of time are eligible for 1 lakh rupees, what about those schools who are very new yet follow a rich culture & have a good education system??????

Why are not incentives kept for teachers in various fields, who would probably come up with good novel ideas for teaching, research & stimulating students to participate actively in various activities (high chances of corruption & maximum jholes).

Again in the same manner some good price money for good students, who keep them updated & ahead in various subjects, sports & other activities so that they became clear in their ideas & have clear mind about what type of career & future do they want!!!!!!

Apart from just declaring the scheme money, has government ever tried to find out from their side about good schools in Maharashtra who deserve their to recognition which itself would be a stimulatory factor.

Hope in the future such schemes though necessary, should be more attractive & more thought of from both sides so as to increase the level of not only the Maharshtra but also the Indian education system. A more serious attempt should be made for a better tomorrow.