MUMBAI, Dec. 15 -- Nearly a month after a 13-year-old schoolgirl died following alleged corporal punishment, the Maharashtra school education department has cancelled the recognition of both the English and Hindi medium schools run by the Shrimati Manrajidevi Education Society in Vasai, Palghar district. The decision follows the death of Kajal Gaur on November 14, a Class 6 student of Shri Hanumant Vidyamandir High School in Vasai East, who reportedly developed complications after a teacher asked her to perform 100 sit-ups while carrying her school bag as punishment for arriving late on November 8. After completing a departmental inquiry, the education department issued a government resolution (GR) on Saturday derecognising the two schools. The action was taken citing serious violations of student safety norms, poor academic standards and non-compliance with provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. According to the GR, repeated complaints and inspections revealed that the schools failed to meet mandatory norms prescribed under the RTE Act, 2009, the Maharashtra RTE Rules, 2011, and the Maharashtra Self-Financed Schools (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2012. One of the most serious findings was that a teacher subjected a student to physical punishment despite an explicit prohibition under Section 17 of the RTE Act. The inquiry noted that the incident allegedly led to the death of a student, prompting authorities to treat it as a grave violation of child protection laws. The probe also found that several teachers employed in both schools did not possess the required academic and professional qualifications, adversely affecting the quality of education and infringing upon students' learning rights. The government further observed that the schools lacked basic infrastructure and safety arrangements mandated under law. The management failed to submit documents related to land ownership and building permissions, leading authorities to conclude that the school premises were unauthorised. The schools had also not obtained mandatory "Form-2" certification under the RTE Act and had failed to constitute essential bodies such as parent-teacher associations and child protection committees. Additionally, the schools were found to be running Classes 9 and 10 without government approval, a serious regulatory breach. Based on these findings, the state government ordered that the schools' recognition be withdrawn at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Education officers have been directed to ensure that students from the derecognised schools are accommodated in nearby recognised institutions to safeguard their academic interests. On the same day, the department issued another GR directing strict implementation of the Centre's Guidelines on School Safety and Security, 2021. The resolution fixes responsibility on school managements, principals, teachers and non-teaching staff for ensuring the physical, mental and emotional safety of students. Reiterating provisions of the RTE Act, the GR underlined that corporal punishment and mental harassment are prohibited in all schools. Any form of physical punishment, verbal abuse, humiliation or discrimination based on caste, religion, gender, disability, language or academic performance has been expressly banned, and schools have been instructed to maintain a disciplined yet child-friendly environment....