The Central Information Commission (CIC) has called on the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to conduct surprise inspections of affiliated schools to curb alleged dummy admissions and enforce mandatory attendance rules.
The directive came from Information Commissioner Sudha Rani Relangi, who invoked Section 25(5) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 while ruling on a complaint that some students were securing certificates and results without attending classes.
The case stemmed from an RTI application seeking details about attendance norms in private missionary schools in Bhopal, alongside CBSE regulations on subject selection and prescribed textbooks. The applicant alleged that certain schools were allowing students to remain enrolled only on paper, raising concerns about compliance with CBSE’s academic standards.
Initially, the CBSE’s Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) rejected the application over a technical error in the payment instrument. The CIC criticised this approach, noting that procedural lapses should not obstruct access to information. During the hearing, the CPIO apologised and agreed to furnish the requested details.
CBSE later submitted a point‑wise response, citing its Affiliation Bye‑Laws, 2018, which clearly prohibit schools from presenting candidates for board examinations if they fail to meet minimum attendance requirements.
Taking note of the seriousness of the allegations, the CIC recommended that CBSE exercise its inspection powers and carry out surprise visits to affiliated schools. Such checks, the commission said, would strengthen accountability and ensure institutions adhere to their affiliation conditions.