Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy were hearing a PIL filed by Hyderabad School Parents Association, in which they challenged the private schools' decision to conduct online classes while also collecting term fees for them.
The petitioners want online classes by private schools to be declared as illegal and be banned.
The High Court said that ground realities should be considered while framing rules for the same. It has also directed the petitioners to include the Union government, CBSE and other concerned bodies so that their position on it can also be determined.
The court questioned the state government that if it has not taken a decision about online classes with no academic year announced, then why were these classes being conducted.
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The state government responded to the court by stating that the Centre had issued guidelines not to begin the academic year till July 31 but had permitted and encouraged distance learning. However, the Telangana government added that it has not taken any policy decision for or against virtual classes.
The counsel of the private schools association also referred to the guidelines of Unlock-2 to make the same point.
However, the court took objected to the reasoning by observed that while some parents have access to such resources, many still cannot afford to educate their children online as they cannot afford the resources involved. In that context, the court stated, "You cannot frame guidelines sitting in AC rooms in Delhi. You have to come to remote places like Adilabad and see the plight of the people as there are so many deprived children."
"How can you encourage online education in those circumstances," the court asked.
The Special Government Pleader informed the court that a Cabinet Sub-Committee is looking into the matter of resuming classroom studies and the commencement of the academic year, and in case of delay, it will clear the position on conducting online classes. The court has posted the matter to July 13 for the next hearing.
(With Agency Inputs)
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