The Special Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Puttanna, MLC, has recommended to the government that buildings within 15 metres, including the basement, of educational institutions established before 2017-18 should be exempted from requirements such as sprinkler, 5,000/10,000 litre overhead tank or sump, 450 LPM (litres per minute) and alternative power supply system.

However, in view of the safety of children, fire extinguisher, sand buckets and other equipment should be installed compulsorily, the committee said.

It has been recommended that the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) should ensure that all government and private aided/unaided educational institutions that started before 2018 should have fire extinguishers.

The interim report of the Special Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to examine and report on the relaxation of the rules and exemptions in the order issued by the government regarding the recognition and renewal (RR) of private aided and unaided schools that started before 2018 was submitted to the Minister of School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa on Wednesday (September 9).

Schools which have been donated by ancestors or have been in operation for many years should not be asked for fresh land transfer documents during the renewal of recognition, it has said, adding that the certificate of registered engineers should be considered for building safety.

A fresh deposit of ₹3,00,000 or e-bank guarantee should not be required for RR of old schools. As per the old rule, only fixed deposit amount of ₹30,000 should be considered. The committee also said that Right to Education (RTE) fee should be released immediately without delay.

Separate online portals should be created for renewal of RR of old schools and permission of new schools, it recommended, adding that it is not appropriate to impose new rules for educational institutions on schools established before 2018. It has been proposed that if old schools and colleges are shifted due to some reason, permission should be given as per the old RR.

The committee also recommended that the minimum number of students should be reduced to 20 for RR.