India, Nov. 7 -- The BMC has cancelled a tender that sought to hand over the Durgadevi Municipal School plot near Chor Bazaar to a private organisation, the fifth and final school brought under a controversial privatisation process launched in December last year.

The decision comes after firm opposition from ruling and opposition political parties as well as parents to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, where civic-run schools would be handed over to private entities including non-profits to build and run for a 30-year-period.

The Durgadevi Marathi and Urdu municipal school was slated for privatisation after it was declared dangerous under the C1 category. Students were shifted to other municipal school facilities to ensure the...