CBSE affiliation procedure to be restructured towards total digitalization

Vinod Kakumanu
Jan. 30, 2021, 12:39 p.m.

The CBSE affiliation process for schools is likely to get completely digital with the newly proposed restructuring. It has been reported that after it gets effected, the affiliation procedure will require minimal human intervention as it will be based on data analytics and automation predominantly.

The new system that will come into effect from March 2021 is in line with the recommendations laid down in the National Education Policy concerning systemic reforms in education.

The affiliation system of the board went online in 2006 but it still requires manual submissions at certain stages, the reformed system aims at eliminating these points of manual data inputs through total digitalization.

The reforms will enhance the ease of doing business by enhancing governance and minimizing government through automation. The affiliation system based on data analytics will enable maximum transparency and objectivity in operations besides enhancing accountability and time-efficiency in the application and authorization process.

The notification publicizing the guidelines for the restructured affiliation system is imminent as per the CBSE Chairman’s statement. The document containing the guidelines will notify the schools about the SOPs, requisite documents, modalities, guidelines for the inspection committee along with the videos explaining different stages of the process.

The timelines of the affiliation process will also stand revised in the wake of the restructuring. The application for affiliation and up gradation window will now open thrice a year. The said time windows will be from March 1 to March 31, from June 1 to 30, and finally, from September 1 to 30. However, the applications for the extension of affiliation will open only from March 1 to May 31 every year. Adding to the flexibility, the restructured system will allow for the requests of change of name of the schools, change of trust/society governing the school, request for the additional subject will be allowed at any time of the year.

The affiliation application requires digital signatures for a variety of documents, other documentary requisites include No objection certificate, land certificate, safety certificate, and certificate by district education officer. All these appendixes and other details uploaded by the applicant school will be analyzed algorithmically, based on the affiliation bye-laws after which an inspection committee will be constituted and delegated to inspect the school. The board had provided for virtual inspection in the light of the pandemic last year for the up gradation of affiliation.

The said restructuring is the most recent in the series of reforms and improvements in the affiliation bye-laws since their formulation in 1998. Notably, there are around 24, 930 schools affiliated to CBSE in the country with over 2 crore students and 10 lakh teachers on their rolls. The last notable reform in the 2018 affiliation bye-laws came with the board shifting the onus of infrastructural audit of the schools over to the department of education of the respective states.