No permanent affiliation to private schools: CBSE

 Guardians welcome Central board’s new rule as a move towards ensuring accountability and quality, while miffed schools term it ‘commercial’

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Jan 18: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)’s decision of not granting permanent affiliation to private schools has generated mixed reactions in the State, with parents welcoming the move and a section of schools opposing the same. 

The CBSE recently decided to discontinue the earlier provision of granting permanent affiliation to schools run by private magements and public sector undertakings (PSUs). Under the new provision, the private and PSU-run schools will have to apply for renewal of application every 3 or 5 years.

The tiol school examitions board last week amended its bylaws to scrap the system under which schools that had been provisiolly affiliated to the CBSE for more than 10 years and were fulfilling all requirements like land, building and teachers were given permanent affiliation. The CBSE charges a fee of Rs 25,000 for processing applications for renewal of provisiol affiliations.

A circular issued by CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi on January 3 said the board has decided to discontinue the provision of permanent affiliation as contained in the affiliation bylaws. 

“I welcome the CBSE’s new move as it will put a brake on some of the private schools’ ways of functioning at their whims and fancies. Many private schools are misusing their permanent affiliation and not providing the required facilities of safety and quality as assured by their magements when applying for affiliation. The need for renewal of application will ensure continuous scrutiny and maintence of standards in schools,” Majibur Rahman, whose son is studying in a leading private school in Guwahati, said. 

Gita Baishya, a mother of an 8-year old while trying to prove as how a section of private schools are violating affiliation norms, said a leading private girls’ English medium school in Guwahati became co-educatiol only to get CBSE affiliation a few years back. But the school went back to its earlier status and stopped admitting boys after receiving CBSE affiliation, she said, adding that the new board rule will bring an end to such practices.    

On the other hand, Principals and magement of several private schools have flayed the decision as “a move towards commercialization” by the CBSE.

“There is no logic in asking the old schools to seek provisiol affiliation every three or five years. It will be an insult to reputed schools,” the Principal of a reputed school said.

The CBSE has been giving provisiol affiliation to new private schools, regular one-time affiliation to government schools and permanent affiliation to private and PSU-run schools having completed provisiol affiliation for 10 years. However, the regular one-time affiliation for government schools will continue.