DRDO only partially funds schools in Dehradun but does not manage them; management transferred to DAV trust to improve efficiency: Def Society

New Delhi: Management of Raksha Anusandhan School (RAV), Dehradun, transferred – partly funded by Defense Research and Development Organization (defense research and development organization) – The change from the Defense Research Education Society (DRES) to the DAV Academy Trust and Management Association from April 20 this year has encountered opposition from school staff who fear that their salary structure will become worse.RAV, Dehradun is a co-educational CBSE affiliated school established in 1993. “DRDO, which had earlier started providing deficit (partial) funding to seven such schools to facilitate easy admission of children of its employees in remote areas, has now decided to let professionally run education trusts manage these schools,” a DRDO official told TOI. Apart from the Dehradun school, five other schools, including those in Pune, Hyderabad and Chandigarh, have also been handed over to the Education Trust.“The purpose of this transition is to ensure improved governance, operational efficiency and continued institutional development,” the DRES chairman said in a statement.“DRDO supports RAV only financially and such financial support does not imply ownership, direct control or administrative authority. The existing employees of RAV managed by DRES are not government employees. Their employment is governed by the rules and regulations of the DRES bye-laws and not by conditions of government service,” the President clarified.“All stakeholders are requested to take note of the above clarification. Any information or interpretation to the contrary may be deemed inaccurate,” the President added.Despite the clarification, teachers and staff at RAV Dehradun continue to protest against the change in management.