Shillong, March 1: Confusion is running high among students of Assam Rifles Public School (ARPS) and their parents over a decision to close down the prestigious institution following a financial crisis.

The school in the Laitkor area, about 20km from here, is run by ARPS Society, an autonomous body registered under Societies Registration Act. It is affiliated to CBSE, New Delhi.

Established in 1980 on the initiative of then director-general of the Assam Rifles, Lt Gen. Sushil Kumar, the school authorities have already circulated the closure notice among parents.

The school was set up to provide quality education and all-round development of children of Assam Rifles personnel. A few seats are, however, reserved for children of parents who are not Assam Rifles staff.

The main reason mentioned for the decision to close down the 36-year-old school was taken after the Supreme Court passed a judgment on July 21 last year, directing the school to pay arrears, pays and allowances of teaching and non-teaching staff of ARPS, Laitkor, as per the Sixth Central Pay Commission with effect from January 1, 2006, which is putting the school under financial pressure and resulting in "bankruptcy".

"The school management committee and the board of governors have examined the financial wealth of the school as well as various options and have concluded that it will no longer be financially viable to run the school after implementing the Supreme Court judgment. It is with a heavy heart that the management has accordingly taken a hard decision to close down the school with effect from April 1, 2016," the notice, issued recently by the school to the parents, said.

They were also requested to collect transfer certificates of their wards by April 1 and plan for admission in other schools.

When asked, officials of the education department, commissioner and secretary (education), D.P. Wahlang, told The Telegraph that the school is facing financial burden especially after the Supreme Court passed a ruling with regard to pay and allowances for the staff.

"If there is a move to close down the school, the state government is ready to take it over and run the school, provided the management is willing to hand over the assets. But there is no discussion yet on this issue," Wahlang said.

The governing body of the school comprises director-general of Assam Rifles as its chairman and its additional director-general as vice-chairman. The members include an official of the Meghalaya higher and technical education department, secretary of Meghalaya Bharat Scouts and Guides, besides the principal of the school and other officials of the Assam Rifles.

The additional director-general of the Assam Rifles is also the chairman of the school management committee. When contacted, Assam Rifles public relations officer Rahul Josan said the school has not been closed down yet. "Advertisements were issued earlier and published in different newspapers inviting admissions for the academic session of 2016-2017," Josan said.

There is confusion among the parents who now question the school authorities for serving the closure notice while advertisements were published seeking admissions for the next academic session.