CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the management of private schools to issue transfer certificates (TCs) to the students who opt for the same without insisting on payment of school fee dues, within a week of receipt of applications.
The issue pertains to the United District Self Financing Schools Association comprising over 250 schools, moving a plea seeking to restrain educational authorities from permitting schools to admit students without TC from the school where the students previously studied.
The State government submitted that due to the pandemic, it wanted to ensure that children don’t stop their education midway for want of TCs while shifting schools. Justice Anand Venkatesh in his order said, “It is true that the transfer of a student is governed by regulations. However, when an extraordinary situation arises, some leverage has to be given to the State government to manage the affairs and to take policy decisions in the overall interest of students.”
The court cannot poke its nose into every decision taken by the government and such interference will become counterproductive and will prevent the government from freely executing its decisions, it added.
The judge in his orders also said, “Any student or parent, who wants to continue the education in a different school should submit an application in that regard to the concerned transferor school. Immediately after the application is submitted by the student or the parent, the transferor school shall issue the TC within a period of one week from the date of receipt of the application.”
The judge said if any school refused to issue TC, a complaint can be made to the Chief Educational Officer (CEO) concerned and immediate action shall be taken by him for violation of this order.