Almost 500 schools in Meghalaya are operating without recognition, although having UDISE codes. This is a serious problem for the state. Now that the Education Department has admitted that the issue is a result of outdated procedures in which official documents were released without rigorous adherence to regulations, the issue is being examined more closely.
Swapnil Tembe, Director of School Education & Literacy, stressed that states have been directed by the Indian government to resolve the issues related to unrecognized schools. There are some schools that are not acknowledged by the system; in our state, there are approximately 500 schools that are still not acknowledged. Recognition indicates that the government or government representatives have issued some sort of document. Tembe clarified that it might be either temporary approval, temporary recognition, or permanent recognition.
Tembe acknowledged that a verification process has been initiated to see whether these institutions match the academic criteria and facilities required for formal accreditation, following a review meeting on the state’s educational system. “The Government of India has instructed us to deal with the unrecognized schools. Thus, in order for these schools to receive formal recognition, we have directed the appropriate authorities to visit and confirm that they have all the necessities,” Tembe said.