Grants-in-Aid to Recognized Non-Govt. High and Higher Secondary Schools
School Education, Grant-in-Aid
GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
Education Department
Secondary Branch
No. 343-Edn(S) Dated: Calcutta, the 3rd March, 1973.
Sub: Payment of Grants-in-Aid to recognized Non-Government High and Higher Secondary Schools.
The undersigned is directed to say that the State has under consideration a scheme for introducing a uniform pattern of grants-in-aid to High and Higher Secondary Schools. Under the system now in force High and Higher Secondary Schools recognized upto 1.1.62 which opted to come under the grants-in-aid system are given grants-in-aid to cover the entire deficit calculated on the basis of an approved scale of expenditure. Similar schools recognized between Rs. 25,000/- p.a. and Rs. 6,000/- p.a. and those recognized after 1.1.69 do not get any maintenance grant at all. Teachers and non-teaching employees service in these schools are, however, given dearness allowance and a contribution to their salary according to rates prescribed in Government Orders in force.
The State Government have decided to bring all these schools under one uniform system of grants-in-aid under which financial assistance is proposed to be provided for covering the net deficit on salary account of approved teachers and non-teaching employees.
2. In supersession of all previous orders on payment of grants-in-aid to High and Higher Secondary Schools the Governor is pleased to direct that with effect from 1st May, 1972 grants-in-aid shall be paid to the High and Higher Secondary Schools in the manner and subject to the conditions specified in these orders:
(i) High and Higher Secondary Schools recognized up to 1.1.70 (inclusive) are eligible to come under the present system.
(ii) An integrated High School (with classes V to X) opting to come under the scheme should have on its roll a minimum number of 250 students. In the case of an integrated Higher Secondary school (with classes V to XI) the minimum number should be 300. The maximum number of students permissible for enrolment in a High School is 750 and in a Higher Secondary School with one stream, 850 and with more than one stream, 1000. Not Iess than 20% of the pupils shall be in the two or three top classes, as the case may be.
(iii) The optimum teacher-pupil ratio should be 1: 30. For the present a ratio of 1: 25 may be accepted. The position will be reviewed after two years.
(iv) The school should provide teaching accommodation and other amenities accord to the standard prescribed by the Govt. or by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education or by the Director of Public Instruction, West Bengal, or any other authority declared competent by the Government on this behalf.
(v) The school should maintain discipline and an acceptable standard of academic efficiency.
3. The schools which satisfy the conditions specified in para 2 and which are not covered by the “complete deficit” grants-in-aid scheme already in force may apply to come under the present scheme to the Director of Public Instruction, in such manner and in such form as may be prescribed by the Director of Public Instruction, or an Officer authorised by him.
4. On coming under the scheme a school shall be entitled to grants-in-aid to cover the deficit on salary account arrived at in the following manner :
(a) The number of teaching and non-teaching posts admissible to the school shall be determined according to the standard prescribed by the Government or by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education or by the Director of Public Instruction, West Bengal. In determining the number of posts due attention should be paid not only to the work load but also to the teacher-pupil ratio. If in individual cases the number of posts admissible on the basis of teacher-pupil ratio is less than the number admissible on the basis of workload, then the former standard should be applied. Exceptional cases of hardship may, however, be brought to the notice of the Government.
(b) The number of teachers with higher qualifications i.e. Hons. Graduates or teachers with Post-Graduate qualifications required for the schools should be determined in the manner prescribed in G.O. No. 60-Edn (S) dated the 15th January, 1972.
(c) Pay and allowances of the teachers and the non-teaching staff, approved by the Director of Public Instruction, West Bengal, or an Officer authorised by him, shall be calculated on the basis of scales of pay and allowances prescribed or approved by the State Government. Contribution to the provident fund payable by the school shall also constitute an item of admissible expenditure.
(d) Income from tution fee (including fines) less the amount required for provision of free places under the rules and others in force and income from endowed property or from other sources derived for the specific purpose of payment of salary of the teaching and non-teaching staff shall only be taken into account for the purpose of calculating deficit.
(e) The amount arrived at by deducting income under (d) from expenditure under (c) shall constitute the net deficit for the purpose of grants-in-aid under the present scheme.
5. The schools which are in receipt of grants-in-aid on the basis of ‘complete deficit’ other than the ‘Sponsored Schools’ shall also come under the present scheme with effect from the date i.e. 1st May, 1972. Grants-in-Aid already paid should be adjusted against the grant admissible under the scheme.
6. Payment of grants-in-aid shall also be subject to the following further conditions:
(i) The school shall realise tution fee at the minimum rates prescribed by the Government or at rates as they stood on 30th April, 1972, if such rates higher than the prescribed minimum rates.
(ii) The schools shall not alter the rates of other fees, if any, as they stood on 30th April, 1972 without previous permission of the Government.
(iii) The school shall pay salary and allowances to the approved teaching and non-teaching staffs according to the scales and rates approved by the State Government from time to time.
(iv) Grants-in-aid paid under the scheme shall be utilised exclusively for the purpose for which it is paid.
(v) The Head of the Institution and members of the Managing Committee shall be jointly and severally responsible for the proper utilisation of the grant. The Term “Managing Committee” means the “Managing Committee” constituted under the Rules and Orders in force and shall include Adhoc Committee and Administrator appointed by the appropriate authority under the Rules and Orders in force.
(vi) For misuse and unauthorised diversion of the grant the State Government may, apart from excluding the school from the purview of the scheme, take such legal action as may be considered fit.
(vii) The school shall maintain separate accounts for the grants-in-aid under this scheme and shall arrange audit in such manner and in such form as may be prescribed by the Director of Public Instruction, West Bengal or an officer authorised by him. The school shall also offer facilities for inspection by officers of the Education Department/Education Directorate/ Commissioners of Divisions/District Magistrates and Sub-divisional Officers.
(viii) The State Government or the Director of Public Instruction, West Bengal, shall have the power to prescribe rules regulating the conditions of service of teachers and other employees of the schools covered by the present scheme.
7. The Director of Public Instruction, West Bengal, may now proceed to implement the scheme. A school should be admitted to the scheme only on acceptance, in writing, of the terms and conditions specified in these orders.
8. These orders shall not apply to “Sponsored Schools”. Such schools shall continue 10receive financial assistance on the existing scale, until further orders.
9. The additional expenditure involved in implementing the scheme should be debited to the head “Development Schemes-Fourth Five Year Plan-Secondary Education- Ex-pansion of teaching and educational facilities for children of the age-group 14-16” in the 28-Education Budget. Necessary fund will be provided by re-appropriation in due course.
10. The Accountant General, West Bengal is being informed.
11. This order issues with the concurrence of the Finance Department of this Government vide their U.O. No. AVII/271 dated the 26th February, 1973.
Sd/- B. N. Chatterjee
Joint Secretary, Government of West Bengal