CBSE Tightens Examination Rules, Targets Dummy School Culture in India
CBSE News – The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a significant policy shift aimed at curbing the growing trend of dummy schools. Students enrolled in such institutions, who do not attend regular classes, may soon be barred from appearing in Class 12 board exams.
This bold move is expected to come into effect from the academic session 2025–26, marking a strict stance by the board on the long-standing issue.
Why Is CBSE Taking Action Against Dummy Schools?
Dummy schools are institutions that enroll students, mostly those preparing for engineering or medical entrance exams, but do not require them to attend regular classes. Instead, students focus entirely on private coaching, often bypassing school-based learning altogether.
CBSE officials argue that this practice not only violates attendance norms but also goes against the vision of holistic education as laid out in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The board believes that avoiding formal schooling deprives students of crucial social, emotional, and academic development.
New Attendance Rules: 75% is Now Non-Negotiable
As per existing regulations, a minimum of 75% attendance is mandatory for students to be eligible for board exams. The board allows a 25% relaxation only in exceptional cases such as medical emergencies, participation in national or international sports events, or other serious circumstances.
However, students trying to bypass this rule through dummy schools will no longer be entertained. CBSE has made it clear that simply enrolling in a school without attending will not make a student eligible for the exams. Students who fail to meet the attendance criteria may be advised to appear through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) instead.
What Happens if Students Skip School?
According to a senior CBSE official, if students are found absent during surprise inspections, they will be disqualified from taking the board exams. The board has already started conducting such checks. In December 2024, it inspected 29 schools across Delhi, Bengaluru, Varanasi, Bihar, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh.
The inspections revealed multiple violations, including enrollment of non-attending students. Following this, 18 schools in Delhi received show-cause notices from the board. These inspections were part of a larger drive to ensure compliance with CBSE affiliation norms.
CBSE May Amend Exam Bye-Laws
To make these changes official and enforceable, CBSE is likely to amend its examination bye-laws. The decision to consider these amendments was taken during a recent Governing Board Meeting. The board may also work closely with NIOS to offer alternative routes for affected students.
Disciplinary actions will also be taken against schools found promoting the dummy culture. Schools that refer students without the required attendance will face strict penalties, including potential disaffiliation.
Parents and Students Will Share Responsibility
CBSE has stated that both parents and students will be held accountable if attendance requirements are not met. It is not just the school’s duty to enforce regular attendance; parents must also ensure that their children attend classes. The board has warned that non-compliance will carry serious consequences, including disqualification and blacklisting.
Legal Backing: Delhi High Court Labels Dummy Schools as Fraud
The crackdown has also gained legal support. In January 2025, the Delhi High Court described dummy schools as a “fraud” and ordered both CBSE and the Delhi government to take immediate action. A bench led by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya emphasized the need to maintain integrity in the education system and enforce attendance standards.
The court was responding to a case involving CBSE School in Nangloi, Delhi. The school had been disaffiliated by CBSE last year after it was found enrolling dummy students, including one who topped the JEE (Mains) exam. The school failed to comply with CBSE norms during a surprise inspection and was punished accordingly.
Over 300 Dummy Schools Already Under Watch
So far, over 300 dummy schools across India have come under CBSE’s radar. Many of these schools operate in coordination with coaching centres, giving students the chance to skip school entirely while staying formally enrolled.
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The board has called this trend deeply concerning and stressed that real education includes more than exam preparation. It involves life skills, interactions, discipline, and exposure that only traditional schooling can provide.
What Students and Schools Should Do Now
With board exams approaching, CBSE’s message is clear—dummy school enrollments will no longer be tolerated. Schools must maintain accurate attendance records and ensure that all students meet the minimum attendance requirement.
Parents are also advised to rethink enrolling their children in dummy schools and understand the long-term consequences of bypassing formal education. For students already in such setups, exploring NIOS as an alternative may be the only option moving forward.
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CBSE’s firm approach is being seen as a strong step towards bringing transparency, accountability, and quality back into the school system. It’s not just a crackdown—it’s a call to return to meaningful education.
Source of News: This report is based on updates from various national news portals.
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