TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Students and teachers kept their fingers crossed over admissions to Margao-based Chowgule higher secondary school this academic year.
Even as the Goa Board of Education has declared SSC results on Thursday, confusion prevails whether the Chowgule higher secondary will accept admissions for XI Science and Arts streams this year as the Chowgule Education Society is maintaining silence on the issue.
When Herald contacted, Chowgule higher secondary school Principal Prof R Gaonkar on the fate of admissions this academic year, he declined to throw any light, saying the matter is sub judice in the High Court. He offered no comments when pointed out that the High Court has not stayed the admission process so far, other than saying that the High Court has fixed the next date of hearing to June 17.
Prof Srikant More told Herald that the higher secondary principal will be liable for contempt if the management denies or stops admissions
this academic year. “The Chowgule management has approached the High Court challenging the decision of the Directorate of Education rejecting permission to close down the higher secondary school from June 2013. But, the High Court has not granted any stay on the DoE’s decision. This implies that the status quo continues and the higher secondary has to accept admissions or face court contempt”, More said.
Indeed, the future of 350 students is at stake as the Chowgule higher secondary school had a 350 intake capacity ~ 250 seats in science stream and 100 seats (Arts stream).
Last year, the Chowgule management had planned to close down the higher secondary school, but a hue and cry from parents, students and teachers forced the government to intervene and direct the management to accept admissions.
On May 24, 2012, the Directorate of Education had denied permission for the Chowgule Education Society to close their higher secondary school from June 2012. In March this year, the Society again wrote a fresh letter to the Directorate of Education on February 27, 2013 seeking permission to close the higher secondary school from June 2013. The same was rejected by the Directorate of Education, on March 8, 2013, prompting the Chowgule Education Society to file a writ petition in the High Court. The matter will come up for hearing on June 17.
