Meghalaya Takes Action: Over 500 Schools Must Secure Recognition

The Meghalaya government mandates unrecognised schools to gain formal recognition within six months per the Right to Education Act, 2009. Schools must apply to District School Education Officers, or face closure. The state asserts no new schools can operate without prior consent and recognition.

The Meghalaya government has issued a directive requiring over 500 unrecognised schools to receive formal recognition within six months, in accordance with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, as an official disclosed on Friday.

A notification demands that schools lacking formal recognition submit applications using Form 1 to their District School Education Officers.

Failure to secure recognition within the given timeframe will result in school closures, with no permissions granted for new schools without government's prior consent. Meghalaya has 7,779 government schools out of 14,601 total institutions, highlighted in the latest UDISE+ data for 2023-24.

(With inputs from agencies.)