Retirement age of a principal for icse board

707 votes

There is no age of retirement set by the board. in ref there is a court order

The two instances of notices being sent to two south Mumbai ICSE schools, asking them to terminate the services of their principals as they were over the retirement age, have put non-state board schools in a spot.
While school managements stress that the age of principal should not matter as long as s/he is performing well, activists believe that principals in non-state board schools should not get privileges compared to teachers and principals of state board schools, where the retirement age is 58. "The ICSE council doesn't have a stipulated age for principal's retirement. The rule book states that the retirement age is as per the agreement between the school management and the principal," said Carl Laurie, principal of Christ Church High School.
He added that most national and international boards also do not have any age criteria for principals. "It is for the education department to give us a clear understanding now."
An RTI inquiry filed by an activist had led to revelation of the age of the principals and teachers in city schools.
In January, the management of St Mary's (ICSE) High School in Mazgaon received a letter from the south Mumbai education inspector asking them to terminate the services of the principal for being over the retirement age. Last week, the management of Cathedral and John Connon School received a similar notice.

"Most of these schools are also minority institutes and do not fall under the purview of the rules that have to be followed by other non-minority schools. But with two principals receiving the notice, other principals are worried," said a senior educationist.
The RTI reply also revealed that besides the principals of four ICSE schools who were over the retirement age, a few teachers at a suburban school were also above the retirement age.
Education inspector B Mane told TOI that no action has been taken against the two south Mumbai schools after the notices were sent.
Last month, after the St Mary's (ICSE) High School received the notice, three principals had visited state education minister Rajendra Darda carrying a document containing the views expressed by their students in support of them. Darda had said then that if the students are happy and the management is also commending the principal's job, he does not see any reason why age should be a problem for principals. However, he added that the matter will have to be discussed with other senior education officials for clarity.

Advocate Siddhant Sharma LawRato