Authorities in Uttar Pradesh have launched an inquiry into a private school in Sambhal after a surprise inspection revealed serious irregularities, including the use of Uttarakhand state textbooks in the school curriculum and a "lack of basic local knowledge" among students, officials said on Wednesday.
The inspection was carried out by District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) Shyama Kumar and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vandana Mishra following complaints from parents regarding arbitrary fee hikes, mandatory book purchases from a specific seller and administrative lapses at St. Mary's Senior Secondary School in Alam Sarai area.
"We found books from private publishers in several classes and in some instances, even textbooks from the Uttarakhand state board," DIOS Kumar told reporters.
"This is a violation if such materials are used without approval from the district examination committee," Kumar said, expressing concern over the students' lack of general knowledge about their district.
"When I asked students of classes 11 and 12 to name the District Magistrate (DM) or the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Sambhal, they could not answer," he said.
"It's shocking that students could name international capitals like Washington DC but not know about their local administration," he added.
The team also reviewed admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act and found discrepancies. The school principal stated that no new RTE admissions had taken place this year or the previous one, which officials found questionable.
"It's highly unlikely that no parent approached the school under RTE for two years," Kumar added.
In addition, the inspection revealed that a residential structure within the school campus had been constructed without an approved map, raising questions about compliance with building regulations.
SDM Mishra confirmed that multiple complaints had been received regarding fee increases and the requirement to purchase books from a specific publication and shop.
"We found that instructions were shared through a WhatsApp group, directing parents to buy books from a particular publisher and seller," she said.
"We've also asked the school to submit the building layout approval documents by tomorrow," she added.
Authorities have requested all relevant documents from the school and said a comprehensive report will be submitted to the District Examination Fee Regulatory Committee, after which appropriate action will be decided.
