As the guidelines on recruitment of principals for model schools are rigid, the state government is not being able to find candidates for for appointment to 34 model schools.
Though the government had wanted to start 355 model schools this academic year, it issued a notification only in regard to 310 because of this problem.
The government did not include 11 schools though recruitment had been made because the authorities are doubtful if those who have secured jobs as principals would report for duty for various reasons.
Speaking to Express, Rajiv Vidya Mission state project director V Usharani said that for categories like ST women, the applicants did not fulfil the eligibility criteria. For instance, six posts were reserved for ST women but no ST woman applicant fulfilled the eligibility criteria.
Similarly, in various categories, 34 principal posts remained unfilled after completion of the recruitment process for 355 posts. The department of school education had issued a notification for starting 310 schools by admitting 80 students each into Classes VI, VII and Junior Intermediate from 2013-14.
With the decision not to open 45 schools, about 10,800 students will lose the opportunity of studying at model schools this year.
Applicants for the principal post must have studied in English medium at any of the three of the four levels of his education _ school, junior college, degree college and post-graduation _ and should also have experience of working as a principal or headmaster or vice-principal for at least three years in an English-medium school. They should also have knowledge of computer applications.
As the model schools are being funded by the Centre, school education officials say that they cannot relax the recruiting norms without permission. If all 355 schools start functioning this year, 85,200 students will benefit and even if one proposed school is not started, 240 students will lose the opportunity of studying at it.