The upcoming national conference of the heads of ICSE-ISC schools may break away from the convention and take up the issue of the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government’s reported move to regulate private English-medium schools.

Alarmed at the government’s plan, members of the state chapter of the All-India Association of Schools of Indian School Certificate want to discuss their course of action at the three-day conference, scheduled from November 22 at St Stephen’s School, Dum Dum.

The convention followed by the association, comprising heads of non-Anglo-Indian schools affiliated with the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations across the country, precludes discussion of regional issues.

“Problems faced by schools in a particular state are usually not raised at national conferences, which are meant for discussions on overall administrative and academic matters,” said Keya Sinha, president of the state chapter of the association and principal, Vivekananda Mission School, an unaided ICSE school in Behala.

This year, however, members of the Bengal chapter want the government’s move to establish a control over the schools to figure on the agenda. The chapter will meet this week to arrive at a decision in this regard.

“We will be able to confirm whether we will raise the issue at the conference after the meeting,” Sinha added.

The government is considering a string of measures to regulate the 400-odd ICSE and CBSE schools in the state.

It plans to formulate an act and revise the code of regulations for Anglo-Indian and unaided private English-medium schools.

Calcutta has the highest concentration of ICSE schools compared to any other city in the country. In Calcutta proper, there are more than 100 ICSE and ISC schools and there is a steady demand for more.

Some of the city-based schools who are members of the association are Heritage, Future Foundation and Ram Mohan Mission schools.

The Bengal chapter of the association was set up in 1997. Calcutta has been chosen as the venue for the national conference after seven years.