NAGPUR: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has reminded affiliated schools that it is illegal to use rare/endangered species and plants in school laboratories and classrooms. This recent letter was a follow up of a circular sent last year.
In that circular the board had asked affiliated schools to surrender preserved museum specimen of plants and animals<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Plants-and-Animals> that are rare and threatened (as per the Wildlife Protection Act 1972) to the Ministry of Environment and Forest Department. The presence of wild animals and birds being kept in captivity in schools has been noticed during visits by rights activitists, which has been viewed seriously. A committee of experts at CBSE and unanimously agreed to follow the WP Act in its spirit and the need to sensitise students towards care and protection of biodiversity. The board has warned schools and asked them to ensure that no "threatened (rare and endangered) species of plants and wild animals including birds and insects are kept in captivity and used for classroom/laboratory study in your school". However, understanding the need for schools to teach students about such animals and plants, the board has encouraged the use of computers and virtual specimens to study plant and animal diversity. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/CBSE-warns-against-use-of-rare/endangered-plants-and-species/articleshow/15558579.cms?intenttarget=no -- Regards Rajesh Sachdev https://www.facebook.com/leopardguy https://www.facebook.com/groups/indianflora/ --
