ITANAGAR, 26 Mar: Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) called for revocation of trade licenses issued by Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) to various unregistered private educational institutions and special schools within the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR).
These institutions included play schools, day care centers, creches, and special schools, therapy, rehabilitation centres for children with special needs (CWSNs).
The Commission said that these institutions have been granted trade licenses despite not being registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, or a similar state-level act.
The fact was revealed during a routine inspection by a team of the Commission recently.
The Commission said that “based on judicial precedents set by the Supreme Court and various High Courts, educational institutions by virtue of their primary purpose of imparting education, cannot be treated as commercial entities.”
Taking cognizance of the serious anomaly, the Commission recently held a meeting with all the relevant stakeholder departments, the ICR deputy commissioner, the DDSE and IMC.
“As per a notification issued by the department of education, no private school is permitted to operate without registration under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, or as a Public Trust,” the Commission’s chairperson Ratan Anya said in a release.
“The Commission considers the issuance of trade licenses to unregistered educational institutions a gross violation of legal provisions under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 and State Regulations,” Anya said.
Regarding the issuance of trade licenses to special schools for CWSNs, the Commission stated that such institutions must be registered under Section 49 & 50 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and Rule 21 of the Arunachal Pradesh Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Rules, 2018.
The Commission said it has communicated with the IMC commissioner, urging for an immediate review of all trade licenses issued to such institutions.
The APSCPCR’s actions aim to ensure that educational institutions operate within the legal framework, prioritizing the safety and well-being of children.
