Several private schools across the country, including some of India’s most prestigious educational institutions, may have to change their names in the next three years if a key clause of the draft national education policy (NED) by the K Kasturirangan committee is accepted by the Union government. The use of the “public” in the names of schools owned by private individuals or institutions got the attention of the panel, which has advocated that only government schools should use the word.
“Private schools will not use the word ‘public’ in their names in any communication, documentation or declaration of status. This change will be effected by all private schools within three years. Public schools will only be those that are funded publicly, i.e, government schools (including schools run by any body of the state) and government-aided schools,” the committee headed by the former ISRO chief said in its report submitted last week.