In a major move to preserve the integrity of the board examination process, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced strict measures against students enrolled in dummy schools. From the 2025-2026 academic session, students who fail to attend regular classes will be disqualified from appearing in the Class 12 board examinations. The board has made it clear that students must be enrolled in legitimate and accredited schools with regular attendance to be eligible for the exams. This decision comes as part of CBSE’s efforts to curb the growing trend of students skipping school to focus entirely on the preparations for competitive exams like JEE and NEET, by enrolling in dummy schools.
In simple words, dummy schools are institutions where students are formally registered but do not attend regular classes. These schools allow students to dedicate their time exclusively to exam coaching while bypassing classroom education. In many cases, aspirants exploit dummy schools to gain state-specific quotas for college admissions. For example, students completing their senior secondary education in Delhi become eligible for Delhi state quota seats in medical and engineering colleges, prompting many to enroll in dummy schools in the capital. This loophole has raised concerns about fairness and the legitimacy of board exams.
To counter this practice, CBSE is enforcing mandatory attendance rules, making 75 per cent attendance a prerequisite for board exam eligibility. Students who fail to meet this threshold will not be allowed to sit for the exams, even if they are formally enrolled in a school. The board has also announced that random surprise inspections will be conducted to identify non-attending students. During these inspections, if students are found missing from school or identified as non-attendees, they will face disqualification. CBSE has also made it clear that parents will be held accountable, emphasising that the onus of ensuring regular attendance lies with both the students and their guardians.
Furthermore, the board is considering disciplinary action against schools promoting the dummy culture. Institutions found guilty of sponsoring non-attending students may face penalties or even de-affiliation under CBSE’s examination and affiliation byelaws. This is part of the board’s larger effort to discourage schools from enabling the practice of dummy enrollments.
To accommodate students who fail to meet the attendance criteria, CBSE is exploring a collaboration with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). Non-attending students disqualified from the board exams may be directed to appear for the NIOS examination instead. However, CBSE clarified that only specific exemptions will be granted a 25 per cent relaxation in attendance. This includes cases of medical emergencies, participation in national or international sports events, and other serious circumstances.
The decision, which was thoroughly discussed during the recent Governing Board Meeting, aims to restore the credibility of school education by ensuring students actively participate in regular schooling. The board is expected to release detailed guidelines regarding the new policy in the next academic session.
