CBSE may bar Class 12 students from exams over 'dummy school' enrolment

Many students aspiring for engineering and medical entrance exams choose to enrol in dummy schools, allowing them to concentrate entirely on their competitive exam preparation

Class 12 students enrolled in "dummy schools" could be prohibited from taking the upcoming board exams, as per CBSE officials. The central board also emphasised that students and parents share responsibility for not attending regular school.

 

In December last year, CBSE carried out unexpected inspections at 29 schools across Delhi, Bengaluru, Varanasi, Bihar, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh to investigate the enrolment of 'dummy' students.

 

Many students preparing for engineering and medical entrance exams opt for admission to dummy schools, allowing them to dedicate all their time to exam preparation. They skip regular classes and only show up for their board exams. 

 

“In case candidates are found missing from school or are found to be non-attending during surprise inspections undertaken by the board, such candidates may not be allowed to appear for the board examination. The onus of not attending regular school also falls on the concerned student and his or her parents," a senior board official told PTI. 

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The official said action against schools promoting such a "dummy" culture or sponsoring non-attending students will be taken in accordance with the board's affiliation and examination bye-laws.

Minimum of 75% attendance to qualify for board exams

Reports suggest that the issue was recently addressed in the Governing Board Meeting, where it was recommended that the new rule be enforced starting from the 2025-2026 academic session. During detailed discussions in the examination committee, it was reaffirmed that, as per board regulations, students must maintain a minimum of 75% attendance to qualify for the board exams.

 

If students fail to meet the required attendance, simply being enrolled in a school without attending classes will not make them eligible to sit for the CBSE exams, an official told the agency.

 

The board, however, made exceptions in cases of medical emergencies, participation in national or international sports events and other serious reasons, where a relaxation of 25% would be offered to the students. 

 

The board said that those students who do not have required attendance may not be considered for candidature and disciplinary action may also be taken against the school for referring such students for the exam.