Bhubaneswar. 22nd Sept 2025: A large number of unauthorized private schools have mushroomed across Odisha. These schools are functioning without any approval from the state government, violating the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. Despite lacking permission, they are admitting students and running classes as usual.
According to the Ministry of Education (Central Government) and the Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA), 1,052 such schools are currently operating illegally in the state. These schools do not possess the mandatory Certificate of Recognition (CoR) from the government.
Despite lacking approval, these schools continue to enroll new students every year. As per the UDISE+ 2023–24 report, these unauthorized schools collectively educate 91,895 students, with 8,285 teachers engaged in teaching.
Blatant Violation of RTE Act
These schools directly violate provisions of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which mandates that:
No new school can be established without prior recognition from the state government.
Schools must meet specific infrastructure and safety norms.
However, many of these schools:
Lack basic infrastructure like playgrounds, science labs, and proper classrooms.
Do not possess construction safety certificates or fire safety approvals.
Do not appoint qualified teachers as per regulations.
Ignore the 25% reservation rule that mandates free education for students from economically weaker sections (EWS).
Instead, these schools collect arbitrary fees from students and deny them access to government-sponsored scholarships, depriving them of educational benefits.
What Officials Say
Senior officials in the education department stated:
> “Opening a school without permission is illegal. All schools must comply with the RTE Act, 2009, and meet all prescribed standards. Violations will lead to strict penalties.”
Penalties for Violation:
A fine of ₹1 lakh for opening a school without recognition.
An additional ₹10,000 per day for continuing operations after the first penalty.
District Education Officers (DEOs) have been instructed to regularly inspect schools and identify those operating without a valid CoR.
Students studying in such unrecognized schools will not be eligible for any government scholarships or benefits.