Patna, Nov. 18: Around 8,000 private schools have applied for registration with the state government, giving relief to thousands of students anxious over frequent strikes in their institutions.

The state human resource development (HRD) department has received applications from 7,939 private schools after four associations of educational institutions — Association of Independent Schools of Bihar, Muslim Educational Welfare Association, Bihar Public Schools and Children’s Welfare Association and Christian Educational Minority Society — decided to toe the registration line under protest. So far, 880 private schools in the state capital have applied for registration.

The state HRD department, which extended the deadline for applying for registration to November 27, expects 9,000 applications for registration.

The deputy director of the HRD department, R.S. Singh, told The Telegraph: “A team of three members would visit the schools applying for registration. The district education officer would head the panel. The teams would check if the schools fulfil the criteria for registration under the Right to Education Act.”

Schools, under the banner of Co-ordination Committee of Public School Associations of Bihar, went on the warpath on the registration issue. But on November 6, Christian Educational Minority Society withdrew from the protest, opening a floodgate.