HC restrains Maha govt over granting coaching classes as junior colleges

A division bench of Bombay HC directed the state government to set up a committee to oversee the functioning of junior colleges and coaching classes established under Maharashtra Self-Financed Schools and also restrained the government from granting fresh permissions for coaching classes to run as junior colleges.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday restrained the Maharashtra government from granting fresh permissions for coaching classes to run as junior colleges.

A division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and R I Chagla directed the government to set up a committee to oversee the functioning of junior colleges and coaching classes established under Maharashtra Self-Financed Schools (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2012.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by an activist seeking action against 54 establishments which were originally coaching classes and later on permitted to function as junior colleges.

According to the petition, the government has been granting permissions for coaching classes to run as junior colleges without checking if these fulfill the mandatory criteria.

"The law prescribes for a specific infrastructure such as over half an acre or 500 square metre land along with other amenities like a laboratory, library, playground and so on," the petitioner's counsel Anil Sakhare told the court.

But the government is not maintaining any check on whether the college is functioning from a legal building or an illegal one, he added.

The plea further claimed permissions are granted to classes which run from two rooms, or from a floor of a mall or a commercial unit.

The bench then noted that such buildings usually do not even have occupation certificate and fire safety certificates.

"What if there is a fire, who would be responsible for that in the absence of such permissions? Justice Dharmadhikari questioned.

The bench added that the government was giving permissions randomly without carrying out proper checks.

"Do not grant any fresh permissions for any coaching class to function as a junior college until you notify the scrutiny committee, the court said.

It posted the matter for further hearing on March 4.