CBSE asks schools to realign student strength to 40 per section over next 3 years

NEW DELHI : The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked all schools to re-align the student strength per section to 40 over the next three years. The board has also relaxed the number of students to 45 per section for the next three academic sessions 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 to rationalize the number of students already enrolled.

The board’s decision came after it noticed that schools took normal admissions up to 45 students and more in a class while CBSE allowed it only with direct admissions. In 2019, the board had asked schools to follow the affiliation by-laws clause which stated that the optimum number of students should be 40 in each section. The board gave the permission to increase the number to 45 in case there are direct admissions in Classes 10, 12.

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“Now, that the situation is normalised, there is a need to re-align the number of students permitted in each section, as per the above provisionals of affiliation by-laws 2018 to ensure quality education in the schools,” it said.

On relaxation in the number of students, CBSE reasoned that it received several representations from schools citing migration of students across towns, returning of parents from abroad to India, students leaving residential schools, and promotion of students to senior classes as reasons behind the spike in student strength.

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“It is expected that schools will rationalise and restrict students’ intake in each section as per Affiliation by-laws by regulation admissions in junior classes in the forthcoming years,” the board said upon relaxing the rule. During the relaxation period, the board expects schools to “systematically and gradually” maintain the student strength up to 40.

CBSE further said that the schools can apply for an increase in the number of students on the SARAS portal in case they meet the infrastructural requirements. To facilitate this, the board has extended the deadline to apply for section increase till August 31.

“It is reiterated that, the exception shall not be treated as a change in rule to increase the section strength to 45 students per section beyond the time of three years. The schools are required to utilize this permission of 45 students per section, judiciously and ensure that the section strengths are re-aligned to 40 students per section in each class over the next 3 years (session 2023-24, 2024-2025 and 2025-2026) by regulating the admissions from junior classes from the date of issue of this circular,” CBSE stated.