Thiruvananthapuram: In Kerala, 827 schools function without valid licence and authorisation, Minister for General Education V Sivankutty said here on Thursday. The schools were identified following a preliminary inspection carried out by the department.
Sivankutty said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has convened a meeting to discuss further steps. He said the list of schools and available information will be handed over to the CM. 

The department initiated a drive to identify schools functioning without recognition following an incident at Mattanchery in Kochi, where a teacher flogged a three-and-a-half-year-old child at a play school. It was found that the school functioned without the no objection certificate (NOC) of the General Education Department.

Pre-primary to higher secondary schools can function only with the clearance of the Education department. The Minister said legal action will be taken against the educational institutions that function without valid clearance and levy huge sums as fees without providing basic amenities. He said building owners will also be held responsible. Action will be taken against unauthorised schools as per relevant provisions of the Right to Education Act, Kerala Education Act and Kerala education rules.