Dibrugarh: Questions have been raised over the land, infrastructure and affiliation arrangements of two educational institutions operating on the same campus in Assam’s Dibrugarh.
The century-old Marwari Hindi High School, established in 1936, has been functioning on the premises, while Agraasen Academy, established in 1999, is also operating from a portion of the same building and land. The academy received affiliation from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in 2006.
The issue has prompted demands for verification of land ownership documents, land-use arrangements and records related to the CBSE affiliation.
The matter came to light after students and parents of Marwari Hindi High School raised concerns over the non-availability of mid-day meals at the institution for several years. Student organisations later sought clarification from the Marwari Education Foundation.
Founding secretary Mahabir Bagaria said the mid-day meal programme was a government scheme and was not operated by the foundation.
During the discussions, details about the history of the school and the land on which the institutions are functioning also emerged. According to Bagaria, Marwari Hindi High School was established in 1936 to provide education to children from the Hindi-speaking community.
He said the Saharia family had donated the land for the school to the Marwari community several decades ago.
The school was subsequently established on the land, while the Marwari Education Foundation was later formed to manage and administer the institution.
Bagaria said the then management committee started Agraasen Academy in 1999 in a portion of the building occupied by Marwari Hindi High School.
He further said the process of transferring the school land in the name of the Marwari Education Foundation was undertaken in 2003, while Agraasen Academy received CBSE affiliation in 2006.
The development has raised questions over the circumstances under which CBSE affiliation was granted to an institution functioning on a portion of the same land and building where another school had already been operating for decades.
Bagaria alleged that the entire plot was presented as the land of Agraasen Academy while fulfilling land-related requirements for CBSE affiliation and that the existence of Marwari Hindi High School on the premises was not disclosed.
These allegations could not be independently verified. The actual position can only be established through an examination of official land records, school documents, affiliation papers and other relevant records.
It is learnt that following a complaint submitted to the CBSE by a youth, the Board sought details and documents relating to the land from the Marwari Education Foundation. The development has further intensified scrutiny of the affiliation and land-use arrangements.
The key question is whether two schools affiliated with different education boards can legally function on the same land and campus under the circumstances of this case.
If all necessary permissions relating to land use, infrastructure, school operation and affiliation are in place, the concerned authorities and management should clarify the position and make the relevant records available.
However, if any material information concerning the land or the existing school was withheld during the affiliation process, the matter would warrant an impartial inquiry.
Bagaria has also levelled allegations against some members of the then management committee, claiming that decisions taken at the time were influenced by considerations of social standing and personal influence.
These allegations also require verification through an independent examination of records and statements from the concerned parties.
With the future of students at stake, demands are growing for the authorities to conduct a transparent inquiry into the land ownership, use of the campus, functioning of both institutions and the CBSE affiliation process.
The central issue remains whether all statutory requirements were properly fulfilled before Agraasen Academy was granted affiliation in 2006 and whether the presence of Marwari Hindi High School on the same premises was duly disclosed and examined.
A clarification from the concerned authorities and the managements of both institutions is awaited.