Bhubaneswar: Students skipping regular schools will be barred from Class 12 board exams, CBSE announced, while placing the responsibility on students and parents for enrolling in “dummy schools.”
As part of its crackdown on dummy schools, CBSE plans to amend its examination by-laws, barring such students from board exams and requiring them to take the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) test instead.
“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.
However, CBSE will take action against schools promoting the “dummy” culture or enrolling non-attending students, following its affiliation and examination by-laws. The issue was recently discussed in the Governing Board Meeting, where it was recommended that the decision be implemented from the 2025-26 academic session.
An official stated to Republic TV that, “In the examination committee, the matter was discussed elaborately and came to the conclusion that as per the board regulations, a minimum of 75 per cent attendance is mandatory for students to be eligible to appear for the board examinations.” He added that merely enrolling in a non-attending school will not guarantee eligibility for CBSE exams.
“Such students may approach the NIOS to appear in the examination if not allowed by CBSE,” the official noted, clarifying that the board grants a 25 per cent attendance relaxation only for medical emergencies, national or international sports participation, and other serious cases.
Meanwhile, CBSE is considering disqualifying students who do not meet the required attendance criteria, with possible disciplinary action against schools recommending them for board exams.
“It was also decided that CBSE may collaborate with NIOS on this proposal and draft guidelines to be implemented in the next academic session,” an official stated.
Many engineering and medical aspirants enroll in dummy schools to focus solely on competitive exam preparation, skipping regular classes and appearing directly for board exams.
