CBSE May Ban Dummy School Students from Board Exams

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is considering a ban on Class 12 students enrolled in dummy schools from appearing in board exams. Officials have stressed that regular school attendance is mandatory, and both students and parents must take responsibility for it.

In December 2024, CBSE conducted surprise inspections at 29 schools across Delhi, Bengaluru, Varanasi, Bihar, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh to check for students who were formally enrolled but absent from classes. Many students preparing for engineering and medical entrance exams join dummy schools to bypass regular schooling and focus entirely on coaching institutes.

A key concern is that students also enroll in dummy schools in specific states to claim regional quota benefits for medical and engineering college admissions. For instance, students who complete Classes 11 and 12 in Delhi become eligible for the Delhi State Quota in medical colleges.

In Kota, a well-known coaching hub, advertisements for dummy school admissions are widespread, with fees varying based on school affiliations. However, concerns over student suicides among competitive exam aspirants in Kota have been rising, with experts warning that skipping regular schooling may impact personality development, social interaction, and mental health.

CBSE is expected to introduce strict measures to curb dummy school enrollments, aiming to promote a more balanced education system rather than one solely focused on entrance exams.