The Maharashtra government has launched a major drive to clean up what it calls misleading and misrepresentative names of schools across the state. This decisive move comes after education authorities observed a troubling trend where numerous institutions are using prestigious labels like ‘international’ and ‘global’ in their titles without actually offering an international curriculum or having overseas branches.
New Rules for School Names: What's Allowed and What's Not
In a significant circular issued on December 15, the state's Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education laid down strict new guidelines. The directive clarifies that terms such as ‘international’ or ‘global’ can only be used by schools that have branches in other countries or are formally affiliated with internationally-recognised boards like Cambridge International Education or the International Baccalaureate (IB).
The circular pointed out widespread irregularities. "Some schools are affiliated to the state board, but use international, global, CBSE in their names. Similarly, some schools are approved as Marathi-medium schools but are using the term ‘English medium' in their names," it stated. It also highlighted the inappropriate use of ‘CBSE’ in school names, noting it is legally incorrect as CBSE is a central government examination board, not a descriptive term for a school.
Shriram Panzade, Joint Director of School Education, emphasized the core rule: "Unless schools have a branch in two or more countries, they cannot call themselves global." He further stated that schools not affiliated with Cambridge or the IB must avoid using the word ‘international’ entirely.
Why the Crackdown? Protecting Parents and Students
The issue came to the forefront during a December 10 meeting of a state-level authority. The body was reviewing proposals for the approval and upgradation of new, self-financed schools. Officials concluded that misleading school names have a negative impact on parents and students, creating confusion and potentially misguiding their choices.
The circular explicitly warned, "In such circumstances, the possibility of misleading the government, society, parents and students with such names cannot be ruled out..." Consequently, it was decided that schools with such deceptive names must be instructed to change them.
Immediate Actions and Statewide Review
The directive is not just for future schools. Existing schools with questionable names will also come under scrutiny. The department has already identified 11 new schools from across Maharashtra that have used the word ‘international’ in their names. Field education officers have been tasked with verifying these names before any revised proposals are submitted.
The list includes schools offering State Board, ICSE, and CBSE curricula that have incorporated ‘international’ or ‘global’ in their titles. For all future proposals, the circular mandates a detailed check of the school's name, its board affiliation, medium of instruction, and other schools run by the same management nationally or internationally. Any name found to be misleading will require correction before the proposal is recommended to the state authority for approval.
This sweeping regulatory action aims to bring transparency and honesty to how educational institutions present themselves, ensuring parents and students can make informed decisions without being swayed by fancy but empty labels.
