India: Maharashtra Issues PTA Formation Rules

The Maharashtra state government issued guidelines for the formation of Parent-Teachers Associations (PTA) in private, aided and unaided schools on Tuesday. This government resolution (GR) will be applicable to schools affiliated to all boards. The GR says that every parent of the school will be a member of the PTA, whose main aim will be to solve the problems between students and teachers. One parent from every division and one teacher from every class will be a part of the executive committee of the PTA. It also mentions that a PTA are compulsory in all schools.

The Forum for Fairness in Education and the Bansal Committee, which was formed to create a fee-hike policy, has suggested some of these changes. "Though I am happy that some of our suggestions have been accepted, this GR is contradictory to the GR issued on July 15 as it does not clearly define the role of the PTA in deciding the fee structure of a school," said Jayant Jain, president, Forum for Fairness in Education.