The state power holding corporation has issued an expression of interest (EOI), inviting educational organisations to establish a school in Rajbanshi Nagar adding a twist to the troubles of DAV-BSEB that ran from the premises.

The energy department had served DAV Public School BSEB an eviction notice on April 21, setting a June 1 deadline for it to vacate the Rajbanshi Nagar premises on the ground that the Central Board of Secondary Education had cancelled affiliation last year because of alleged irregularities. The CBSE restored the school's affiliation on April 26, but the department's apprehensions were not allayed.

DAV-BSEB had been running in agreement with the power holding corporation (earlier known as Bihar State Electricity Board) for the past 23 years. According to the rules, the corporation's chairman-cum-managing director is empowered to take a decision on the school's functioning.

The energy department issued the EOI on May 21, inviting parties with experience in managing educational institutions to apply in detail to operate a CBSE-affiliated Plus Two school from the six-acre campus. The last date for submission is June 18 and the bids will be opened on June 20.

"We had issued an eviction order to DAV over several irregularities, asking it to vacate the premises on June 1," energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav told The Telegraph. "Its top management should have come to meet us over the issue but nobody did. Only the school's principal kept talking to us. We have issued an EOI because we have to take care of the future of the children studying there."

DAV-BSEB at present has 6,000 students, 180 and odd teachers and around 60 non-teaching staff and the government's decision to issue the EOI has shocked everyone involved.

Guardians are worried about their wards' stability, while the principal is worried about the "intentions of the Bihar State Power Holding Corporation".

"It will be better if DAV runs the school as it won't hamper the education of my daughter," said Sri Krishna Nagar resident Priti Sinha. "If the power corporation wants, it could ensure that its own committee and CBSE maintain a vigil on the functioning of the school so that past irregularities are not repeated."

AG Colony resident Kapil Ashok said: "My son is supposed to take an entrance test of the school on June 1 but now news of eviction and EOI has got me worried about the institution's future."

DAV BSEB principal V.S. Ojha said the EOI has come as a shocker for him as the management had addressed all the issues from last year. Police had registered an FIR against the school's previous principal (Ramanuj Prasad) and three other teachers while investigating into the mysterious disappearance of a student on February 28 last year. Later found abandoned at Patna Junction on March 19, the girl had told a city court that she was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by some youngsters. The principal and three teachers were in the course of investigations accused of running a racket to dupe needy students of money in exchange for permission to apply for CBSE board examinations.

"Officials from our highest body - DAV college management committee - were supposed to come to Patna this week to talk to the Bihar State Power Holding Corporation officers," said principal Ojha. "But this EOI puts a question mark on the intentions of the power holding corporation. We have resolved all the issues pointed out in the eviction order but we are still being punished."