What Are Dummy Schools? CBSE to Ban Dummy School Students from Class 12 Board Exams Starting 2025

Students enrolled in “dummy schools”—institutions that exist primarily on paper while allowing students to focus on private coaching for competitive exams—will no longer be allowed to sit for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 board exams from the next academic year. This decision, announced by CBSE officials on Thursday, is set to impact thousands of students, especially in Kota, Rajasthan, India’s most well-known coaching hub.

The CBSE is planning to amend its examination bye-laws to enforce this new regulation, requiring students from dummy schools to appear for exams through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) instead of CBSE.

Crackdown on Dummy Schools in Kota

Kota, home to over 150,000 students preparing for engineering and medical entrance exams like JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) and NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), will be significantly affected by this move. While there is no official count of dummy schools operating in the city, an anonymous district official admitted that most students attending coaching institutes in Kota are enrolled in such schools.

In a recent crackdown, CBSE identified and revoked the registration of three dummy schools in Kota in November last year. Additionally, during a series of surprise inspections in September 2024, the board withdrew affiliations from 21 schools in Rajasthan and Delhi and downgraded six schools in Delhi for having a large number of non-attending students from Classes 9 to 12.

CBSE’s Decision and Its Implementation

The governing body of CBSE ratified this policy change during a meeting on December 26, 2024. The examination committee recommended barring students from board exams if they were found absent from school during surprise inspections.

“The onus of not attending regular school also falls on the concerned student and his or her parents… It is proposed that examination bye-laws be amended accordingly,” the committee stated. This decision, approved by the highest decision-making authority in CBSE, will take effect from the 2025-26 academic session.

CBSE has reaffirmed that students must maintain at least 75% attendance in school to be eligible for board exams. A 25% relaxation will be granted only for genuine reasons like medical emergencies or participation in national or international sports events.

Schools found sponsoring students who do not attend classes regularly will also face disciplinary action, including loss of affiliation. “Actions will be taken against schools violating our affiliation bye-laws depending upon the degree of violations,” a senior CBSE official confirmed.

Legal and Public Backlash

In January, the Delhi High Court criticized the dummy school system, calling it a “fraud” and directing both the Delhi government and CBSE to take stringent action. The CBSE legal counsel informed the court that action had already been taken against over 300 dummy schools across the country.

The dummy school system typically operates through partnerships between coaching institutes and affiliated schools. Students enroll in these schools to remain eligible for board exams while dedicating their time entirely to coaching.

The Debate Over Dummy Schools

Educationists have long argued that dummy schools negatively impact students’ social and emotional development. Professor BJ Rao, vice-chancellor of the University of Hyderabad, stated, “Dummy schools negatively impact the psychology of students and make them believe that one could game the system to climb the ladder of success… Attending school regularly is necessary for the social, emotional, and physical development of students.”

However, critics of the policy change argue that CBSE’s decision fails to address the root cause of the issue—the lack of advanced curricula and teaching methodologies in schools that align with coaching institutes.

“We agree that the dummy institute culture should be curbed. But why is there no advanced curriculum and teaching facility that aligns with the training being provided in coaching? This decision is completely against the interest of students,” said MS Chauhan, director of Kota-based coaching institute Vibrant Academy.

CBSE vs. NIOS: The Key Differences

One major concern for students affected by this decision is the difference between CBSE certification and NIOS certification.

“NIOS allows students to complete schooling in distance mode, while conventional board schooling requires students to attend classes regularly in schools. The passing certificates of NIOS mention open schooling, whereas CBSE certificates do not. However, both NIOS and CBSE certifications are recognized for admission into higher education,” explained Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School, Delhi.

Despite official recognition, NIOS certification is often viewed differently by certain educational institutions and employers, which has led to anxiety among students and parents.

Concerns from Students and Parents

The decision has left many students worried about how they will manage both regular schooling and coaching for entrance exams.

“How will we attend regular classes in school if we have coaching during the day? Balancing both schedules seems difficult,” said Sonia Kumari, an 18-year-old NEET aspirant studying in Kota.

Parents have also raised concerns about the timing of the policy change, arguing that it puts their children at a disadvantage. Many families moved to Kota specifically to enroll their children in coaching institutes, expecting them to take the CBSE board exams.