Telangana HC raps CBSE for conducting online classes in state schools

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court, on 6 August, pulled up the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for allowing its schools to conduct online classes.

While hearing a PIL filed by the Hyderabad School Parents Association (HSPA), the court said the board cannot allow students of classes IV and V to sit in front of computers for long hours. It also said the board cannot have its schools conduct classes without an official academic calendar.

Speaking to NewsMeter Venkat Sainath Kadappa, a member of HSPA, said, “CBSE schools in the state are working on a temporary academic calendar. Many parents have invested a lot in online classes for their children.”

During a Cabinet meeting on 5 August, the Telangana government had declared that schools should pursue digital medium to conduct classes. However, the court questioned how schools can conduct online classes when the government itself is supposed to file an official order in the upcoming days. The court stressed that the long duration of online classes can be a cause of trouble for young kids.

The education board has been asked to submit a response by 24 August.

Meanwhile, the HSPA members launched a protest at the Global Indian International School, Uppal, on Thursday against the high school fees. The HSPA, in a petition, demanded that private schools bring down the academic fees (as based on a government order issued in April). The court commented that it would issue orders for the same once CBSE responds in the next scheduled hearing.