How to Start a CBSE School Anywhere in India?


There could have hardly been a better time to start/open a CBSE school in India and get CBSE affiliation. We say so because we are witnessing a change of orientation of the board – the 2018 reforms in CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws, which are by all accounts progressive. The curtailment of paperwork, credence to state-verified documents and attestations by CBSE board and vice – versa has simplified the process of CBSE affiliation.

  

How_to_Start_a_CBSE_School_Anywhere_in_India?

 

The changes that have been made in the affiliation bye-laws 2018 are not just limited to the modus-operandi of the affiliation process but also cover all the aspects of school management, suggesting or mandating changes as necessary.

This article focuses on directing school promoters to start a school and get affiliated to CBSE in the wake of CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws 2018. Bye-laws have been admittedly bifurcated into pre-affiliation and post-affiliation norms. The pre-affiliation norms apply for schools aspiring for a CBSE affiliation and the post-affiliation process applies to schools that are already inspected by the affiliation committee and their recommendations have been affirmative.

Notably, Central Board of SecondaryStart a CBSE School Education (CBSE) is the national board of school education that has 27783 affiliated schools to date with a student count of 2 crores instructed by 70 lakhs teachers. I believe changes of such proportion in an enterprise like CBSE are bound to have noteworthy effects on education in India.

The revamped affiliation bye-laws October 2018, which came into effect are expected to benefit many, not in the least the school promoters or eduprenurs who are seeking to start a school with CBSE affiliation. The move has come in response to the concerns about the complexity and volume of the previous bye-laws document that was hard to follow and comprehend independently.

The new avatar of the bye-laws document is concise and puts into effect several qualitative changes in the roles of the bodies, for instance, the priority shift in the affiliation- inspection committee, focus on learning outcomes and redefined role of teachers making it more wholesome and accountable.

Franchise

CBSE provides affiliation to the schools within the country and abroad, the nomenclature used by CBSE for different types of affiliation is listed under -

  1. Approval for Middle Class Syllabus which implies issuance of permission by the board to run the board’s curriculum till class VIII.
  2. General Affiliation of a Secondary School or Senior Secondary School.
  3. Upgradation of a school approved for Middle Class Syllabus up to Secondary or Senior Secondary Level.
  4. Upgradation of an affiliated Secondary School up to Senior Secondary Level.
  5. Switch over of Schools upto Secondary and Senior Secondary Level. Schools already affiliated with other Boards of education are granted affiliation to CBSE under this category.
  6. Regular Affiliation of schools - One-time regular Affiliation will be granted to the schools run by Government and related societies like Central Schools, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Sainik Schools etc.

The single most differentiating measure that has been put into effect by the revamped affiliation bye-laws is the provision of mandatory composite affiliation. Earlier it was applicable to only selective categories. It will be mandatory for the schools to run all classes starting from the incipient class and up to the class for which affiliation has been granted. For Instance class 1st to 8th , class 1st to 10, from 6th to 8th ,6th to 10th , 6th to 12th . There are 2 provisions within the composite affiliation which to me is a paradigm shift, one of them is composite affiliation from class 1 to class 12 and the other is the concept of “Innovative Schools”. The composite affiliation afforded to the innovative schools is from class 9th to 10th and class 9th to 12th. The move opens up a big opportunity for mainstreaming alternative educational philosophies like Montessori, Steiner/Waldorf, etc

Initially, the affiliation to any of the private-unaided school expires in 3 years and renewal is subject to the board which will examine the consistency of the practices of the school in accordance with the bye-laws. This move has brought a lot of applause from all the stakeholders as it encourages a sustainable and integral approach.

Online applications for all categories open on 1st January and close by 31st March of a calendar year. Please refer Appendix-VI of Affiliation Bye-Laws for the detailed time frame of applications category-wise.

 

How to start a school in India?

 

Essential Conditions for Affiliation of Schools

CBSE recognizes the role of Trust/Society/Company running the school in providing ‘healthy learning environment’ and establishing a center of ‘educational excellence’. Essential conditions for affiliation of schools are outlined here —

  1. The establishment of the school - the application for affiliation has to be made by an existing school. The school could be set up, in case of private-unaided schools, by a registered non-proprietary society/trust /section 8 company. The schools cannot accept capitation fee or accept donations. We have covered the subject starting a new school in India in a separate blog post click here to read.
  2. Legal Registration or registration under the law - the school that is aspiring for affiliation to CBSE must be run by the society/trust/section 8 company which is legally registered under respective registration acts.
  3. School Management Committee - CBSE mandates the formation of a School Management Committee for every school affiliated to the board as stipulated in the Right to Education Act 2009. There are stipulations about who would the SMC members be and what would be the functions of SMC. The main points regarding the constitution of the SMC are given below

– Head of the school is the member secretary of the SMC

– The SMC of a private school can have no more than 21 members.

– Two parents of the two separate students of the school and two from the teaching staff will be in membership

– Two teachers from other school or college will be appointed as members

– No relative of SMC member will be appointed as the school Principal

– Not lesser than 50% women will form the SMC.

– The employment of teachers and the staff is incumbent on the SMC

 

Guidelines regarding the constitution of the SMC must be strictly adhered to, The School Management committee, besides ensuring the observance of the CBSE affiliation norms will also oversee the finances and provision of school supplies including furniture, science equipment, books for the library, teaching aids, and sports material. For detailed roles and responsibilities refer Chapter 9, CBSE bye-laws 2018.

School promoters may procure reliable, state of the art school supplies from online stores like schoolsupermart.com

 

SchoolSuperMart

 

  1. State Government Recognition - any new school has to be recognized by the state or UT. This recognition bestowed by the government’s department of education is also understood to be an effective affiliation to the state board. The process is undertaken as per the stipulations of Right to Education Act 2009. At the time of applying for affiliation, the school shall submit the formal letter of recognition to the CBSE.
  1. No Objection Certificate from the State Government - The applicant schools must apply and acquire from the office of District Education Officer (DEO). DEO's office becomes a vantage point, it clears the way by stating that the State does not have any objection regarding the school’s affiliation to CBSE. The NOC thus issued remains valid for an indefinite period for CBSE’s purpose even if there is a date put on it. NOC will stand admissible unless it is formally withdrawn by the issuing authority.
  1. Land - The school land must be owned/ leased by the trust /society/company. In the event of the lease, the minimum term of expiration must be 15 years.

The size of the land on Land and Building requirements for CBSE affiliationwhich the school building is planned to be constructed must be 8000 square meters (2 acres). The renewed emphasis of the CBSE on sports and physical education has increased the importance of the playground and sports infrastructure to a degree without precedent.

Keeping in view, the differences between the territory, demographics, level of urbanization and density of population, the land requirement has been benchmarked less than 2 Acres.

CBSE bye-laws expressly delineate the land required to establish a CBSE affiliated school in different regions of the country that are situated in the cities (beyond 15 lakh population), metropolitan cities, class X cities, cities within the National Capital Region, state capital cities, hilly areas, North Eastern States, J&K and the Islands of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep. In these places, land area requirement may vary from half an acre to 2 acres depending upon the category. The exact land requirement for your location must be in accord to Chapter 3 of the CBSE affiliation Bye-Laws 2018. 

It must be noted that the concession made in the minimum land requirement accompany conditions of limiting the enrollments and the number of sections for each grade.

  1. The physical Infrastructure of the school must also be in accordance o the revamped CBSE bye-laws for opening a CBSE school. The minimum dimensions for the -
    1. Classroom is 8 x 6 meters (~ 500 sq.ft)
    2. Computer lab and laboratories is 9 x 6 meters (~ 600 sq.ft)
    3. Library is 14 x 8 meters (~ 1206 sq. ft)

Specific details are listed under Chapter 4 of the Affiliation Bye- Laws 2018.

  1. Website - schools applying for affiliation are required to host a website and maintain it. The website must be exclusively used by the school for important declarations, information or for administrative ends etc.
  1. Documents Needed - the application for affiliation is submitted on-line, accompanying it are the scanned copies of documents. The complete list of the documents that are required at the time of application is listed in our blog post titled documents required while applying for CBSE Affiliation. They are also available as annexures II, III, IV in CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws 2018
  1. The letter of intent---the letter of intent is issued by the CBSE basing it on the completion of conditions and favorable report from the Inspection Committee.

The affiliation to any board simultaneous to CBSE is not allowed for any school that intends to accommodate both batches in the same infrastructure and space. In other words, Dual Affiliation is not allowed.

 

Online Application

The Bye-Laws necessitate that the entire process goes online. The application and the subsequent procedure has been listed for the optimal understanding of the school promoters.

School promoters must get their school registered with the CBSE on the board’s official website. Prior to the application, scanned copies of the prescribed documents must be readied for uploading and promoters must be ready to pay the affiliation fee as per  Appendix-1 CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws 2018. 

The Affiliation Inspection - The affiliation inspection committee comprises at least 2 people, one of them is an academician. The suitability of the school for becoming a CBSE affiliated school will be judged through the assessment of several aspects including teaching methods, learning outcomes and overall academic standards maintained by the school.

CBSE would mostly concentrate on pedagogical styles being employed, the status of sports and games, student –counselor relationship, academics, reading habits and browsing habits of the students and other such subjects which ultimately arrive at raising the standard of education.

The schools are instructed to pay an annual sports fee which will be subject to change from time to time on the CBSE Board's discretion.  The school will send students representing the school in various inter-school sports and games competitions, rules related to the participation in the inter-school competition will be directed by CBSE.

If an “innovative school” apply for affiliation with the CBSE it will have to demonstrate how useful is its way of teaching & learning besides the suitability of pedagogical styles within the context of the K-12 school system in India.

Commencement Certificate must be earned by the school by applying via the grant letter stating that all the conditions have been met.

The changes in the bye-laws of affiliation will shift the perspective of the inspectors, the need for the training of teachers will be better assessed and they will be oriented to the learning needs of the 21st Century.

For curricular implementation, the schools will get their due of expert guidance from the academicians. The ones who want to start a school will have the obvious benefit of the fast-tracked process of affiliation. As for the existing schools—affiliated or candidate for affiliation-- the entire effort and thought will not be invested in infrastructural superficialities. They will have the time and need to reflect upon obtaining and maintaining the desired levels of education.

Difference between the CBSE and state boards

 

CBSE is the leading national school certificate examination conducting board. It is followed by the CISCE as far as national boards of affiliation in India is concerned. A comparative assessment of CBSE and ICSE boards is available in a separate article, click here to read.

 

A comparative assessment of CBSE and ICSE

 

Though many education programs, national and international, are in the fray the schools affiliated to the board are seen throughout the country as viable and successful preparatory pre-university institutions. CBSE also runs schools in some countries besides India too. While IB and IGCSE are seen as synonymous with global education in India, CBSE international and CBSE premium schools are the initiatives of the board taken in view of the need for international orientation of school education within the bounds of affordability. We have attempted a comparative analysis of IB, IGCSE, ICSE, and CBSE in another article, click here to read.

 

A comparative analysis of IB, IGCSE, CBSE and ICSE

 

CBSE board and schools affiliated to it enjoy a reputation of efficiency and transparency in operations.  For assistance on any aspect of opening a CBSE school or obtaining CBSE affiliation, up gradation or CBSE switchover of an existing school, contact us.

Vinod Kakumanu

Vinod Kakumanu

Founder & Consultant - School Serv

Vinod Kakumanu heads a team of school services professionals and is an independent commentator on Indian school education scenario. Vinod has assisted school promoters establish 35+ schools besides providing ancillary services to over 1000 schools across India. He envisions a future where quality education is made available to every child of the country. The focus he places on the quality of the deliverables and customer satisfaction has made him renowned in the field of K-12 school education.

Write to our School Consultant:

All Comments:

Dr lakhan pandey asked

Sir want to open cbsc school what is the process

Lakhan Pandey answered

Dear Lakhan Pandey The procedure of opening a CBSE school in any part of the country, we have detailed the process of opening a school and getting CBSE affiliation on our website in the article. Please go through the article sequentially to find all your answers or contact us or leave your number for us to contact you.

Atul Singh asked

Does the rules regarding franchisee-franchiser relations/arrangement laid down by CBSE really followed on ground, are they even practical?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

As far as the adherence to the laws is concerned, we know that there are quite apparent infringements. The bye -laws instructions about franchisee-franchisor relations are in some cases not followed, it has to be admitted yet, regulations always help in delineating the limits.

Arimardan Singh asked

You have stated in one of your post that training for in-service teachers will have to be organized by the school at regular intervals. Who will train the teachers? Can principal, vice principal and senior teachers qualify as trainers?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Yes it can be done by the school staff unless it is an industry topic where only CBSE board authorizes specific bodies

divyanshu asked

How long will it take for the CBSE inspection Committee to come for inspection after application?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

the interval between application and inspection can vary but you will get the complete information beforehand. Usually it takes 2 to 3 months.

Reena Agate asked

I am running a How many attempts are there for applying for affiliation to CBSE?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

If I am getting you correctly, you mean how many times you can reapply for affiliation after getting rejected. There is no limit as such but you will waste your time and resources if you do not abide by the directions given in the affiliation bye-laws. In case you have undergone an inspection already try and remove the deficiencies diligently within the stipulated time and then reapply.

Kamlesh Sharma asked

Can a student take admission in class 12th in a CBSE school after completing class 11th from an ICSE school, if there are no ICSE schools in the place of relocation?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

I am afraid the answer is no. You will have to apply from an ICSE school from any other location as a private candidate. You can talk with the previous school management.

Malti asked

I want to start a CBSE school in Jharkhand, what are the procedures for doing that?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The procedure of opening a CBSE school in Jharkhand are similar to the procedures of setting of a school in any part of the country. We have detailed the process of opening a school and getting CBSE affiliation on our website in the article. Please go through the article sequentially to find all your answers.

Ravi Tripathi asked

Where can we find the detailed rules related to the student assessment policies of CBSE?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Generally speaking, the assessment rules are detailed in the examination bye –laws. Besides that, there are periodic circulars and information regarding policies of assessment for instance in the case of institution and withdrawal of Complete and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) from class 10th and other subsequent changes brought under Remodeled Assessment Pattern were duly broadcast by the board. All the information is available on the CBSE website.

Gita Upadhyaya asked

I have detailed both the curriculums in respective posts and have also published articles comparing them. You can go through them on the website and I am sure that you will find relevant guidance.

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Both the curriculums are academic-intensive with IB being more novel in approach. In any case, your son will have to study rigorously and please do give due attention to the score he gets in his class 10th board exams and to the subjects in which he excels. Do not impose international curriculum just for the sake of it, it can do more harm than good.

Ramji Bishnoi asked

I run a school in Guna, M.P. I went through your article and news posts regarding introduction of Artificial Intelligence in classes 8th to 10th as elective. Is there any reference to the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in the CBSE bye-laws?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

No. you will not find the details regarding AI introduction procedures or syllabus thereof in the CBSE bye-laws. However, CBSE reserves the right to introduce a subject with due notice and support to the schools.

veneeta agarwal asked

What does composite “affiliate mean” with reference to CBSE affiliation? How would they ease the process of affiliation?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

composite affiliation is meant to simplify the process of affiliation. it does away with the need of upgradation of a school to expand. provision of composite affiliation is given in the categories from elementary classes to the highest 1 to 10 or even 12. There are provisions for the middle school as well. at any rate, It will cut the red tape.

Neha asked

We are running a primary School in Udaipur, Rajasthan affiliated with RBSE. Now we wish to upgrade it to secondary School in 3 years. Please suggest CBSE Affiliation requirements i.e. Land in City like Udaipur, also suggest other requirements

Vinod Kakumanu answered

To get affiliation for CBSE in a city like Udaipur you are required to have at least 1.5 acres of land and as CBSE is providing composite affiliation you can apply for it from class 1 to 12. However, you will have to have the standard requirements of infrastructure, faculty and administration. To get further information refer to my article on starting a CBSE school on our website.

Aditya asked

Vinod Kakumanu, I applied online without NOC because of goverment offices work culture. Now I have NOC. what should I do?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Hi Aditya, Submit/Upload the NoC now with an attested copy that will manifest that the responsibility of delay does not lie with you. In case the uploading it now is not possible correspond with the board directly or at the first chance you get, be it a meeting, training or inspection.

Shanti Mahesh asked

I would like to know the procedure for starting up a CBSE school and land requirements and other formalities to follow etc.

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Hello Shanti, I would like to point you to my previous articles (1) “How to start a CBSE school anywhere in India?” for detailed procedure for starting a CBSE school in India and answers to most frequently asked questions about starting CBSE school. (2) “Land and infrastructure requirement for starting CBSE school in India” for guidance on land requirements for CBSE school

Shekhar asked

please let me know how do you help in establishing a CBSE School, and what are your charges?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Obviously, We can assist you in all aspects of starting a new CBSE school, we begin with a market survey to determine a sustainable school concept for the proposed location, launch the new school and provide ongoing management services. More details about our services are listed here. Request you to share more details about the school you wish to open using this start cbse school form. Our consultants will get in touch with you soon.

Ranjit asked

I am running a CBSE school and I do not have any students with special needs, can I approach the board with attestaion from any authority or medical certificates to get a waiver?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Appointment of special educator and a counselor is mandatory. The cbse bye laws does not have a provision for any deviations.

Puneet Singh asked

Up-to which class can we start a school without affiliation from CBSE?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

If I am understanding you correctly, you mean till which grade you can run a school without the need for affiliation (I did not get why you brought CBSE in the picture). Well, when you start a school you mandatorily get the permission of the state, this practically makes your school a state board affiliated school which you can run till grade 12th. you cannot publicize a school as CBSE unless you have the affiliation.

Mitali asked

Is the board planning on re-inspections of only newly affiliated schools?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Provision of Periodic and surprise inspections are clearly indicated in the CBSE affiliation Bye-laws and this holds good for all the affiliated schools.

Vinod Upadhyyaya asked

I run a CBSE school in Bilaspur M.P. Earlier i wanted to run two streams but i could not do that. Since i have come to know that i offer additional subjects, i want to do that. How much will it cost me to offer additional subjects in my school which runs only science stream as of now?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

You can add additional subjects to your course. The subjects must be one among those being run by the board of affiliation i.e. CBSE. The addition of one subject would cost you Rs. 10,000 for Science and Rs. 5000 for a Humanities subject.

Ravindra asked

Can a school be permitted to run in two shifts under new bye-laws of CBSE affiliation?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Yes,It may, in certain cases. You have to read through and follow National Education Policy notification regarding this provision and will have to complete formalities with the district education officer.

Ranjit Kumar Das asked

What are innovative schools exactly?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The Innovative school signify an institution that imparts curricular knowledge and education through pedagogical methods which are inventive and ingenious and are not as widespread as the conventional instructional method. The important examples include Multiple Intelligence schools, Waldorf Schools, Montessori Schools etc.

shomojit asked

How can I make my school an innovative school?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

You will have to believe, comprehend and study the pedagogical and theoretical approach which you intend to follow. Then you will have to find teachers and train them. Thanks to CBSE your school can now get recognition provided it is genuinely advancing the cause.

Chandrashekhar asked

How will the Inspection Committee decipher that the given innovative school is actually “innovative” and students are not losing anything by not studying the syllabus through conventional method?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The inspection committee will compose of academicians with credentials that would be enough to allay the suspicions of people like yourself. In the case of innovative schools, the experts on alternative pedagogy will have a say.

Mahashiv Gowda asked

Will the students of innovative school be given school certificates like the conventional schools?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

There will be a distinction in the statement of marks of course but there will be no disparity between these two kinds of certificates. Innovative schools have been given the advantage of composite affiliation from 9th to 10th and 9th to 12th. this signifies that the innovative schools are being given an environment to thrive.

Vandana Chaudhray asked

What would change with the provision of composite affiliation?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The composite affiliation will enable the school promoters to be more resolute. The entrepreneurs opening new schools with a vision to go upto a certain class will now have the chance to accomplish that in one go. composite affiliation from 1 to 12 is the defining feature.

Aradhya asked

What does the “post affiliation” norms do?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The post affiliation norms serve the purpose of readying the school in administrative and functional aspects. the value system is also expected to change like financial transaction methods. Appointment of well-qualified PET and Special Educator and their induction must be finalized by the time the commencement letter arrives. Refer chapter 2 for further details.

Akhilesh Pandey asked

Will CBSE disaffiliation or down gradation happen if the academic performance is poor?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Yes, it has been expressly stated that the poor academic performance of the students for 3 consecutive years will invite penalty in the form of disaffiliation or downgrading i.e. from senior secondary to secondary or something analogous.

Madan Singh asked

Will there be training programs for PET and counselors as well? Madan Singh

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Yes, there lies definite possibility as their role is becoming increasingly critical.

Ram Bihari Gupta asked

Do teacher training programs, which the bye-laws indicate involve expenses?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Most of the mandatory teacher training programs and certification will not be chargeable, Some might involve some cost.

Sangeeta Kothari asked

How does ‘dual affiliation’ clause effect the CBSE schools offering IGCSE program? Sangeeta Kothari

Vinod Kakumanu answered

It would not, if the infrastructure and resources including staff being used for IGCSE program are different.

Rajeev Gautam asked

The new CBSE bye laws instruct the school to fix the see structure. Will it be mandatory to revise the fee for all the classes?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The fee restructuring has been directed to follow mutasis mutandis and if the financials are not found to be infringing upon the CBSE guidelines, the revision will be needed selectively

Sunil Agrahari asked

How will inspection committee discern the teaching learning and academic standard?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The inspection committee will have a set of guidelines directing minimum academic conditions and the level of training of teachers to determine the overall standard

Bala Ghosh asked

Will the teacher training become frequent under the new rules?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

It decidedly will, there were provisions mandating teacher training at particular time frame in the CBSE byelaws. the teacher training is much more objective, enables capacity building and comprehension is also assessed.

Ravikant Reddy asked

The land and infrastructure have relatively been the same as there hardly any viable solution to profess education. However, there have been changes including the tenure of lease (30 years to 15 years). I am starting a CBSE school in Hyderabad, the new bye laws do not reduce the infrastructural requirements. if they are implicit let me know?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

CBSE has announced changes in affiliation bye laws on 18th October 2018, Prior answers to some of the questions related to CBSE affiliation may need review. Your questions are welcome

Rishabh asked

If Cambridge International or IB can be allowed then why not other educational curricula from across the world e.g. U.S or Australia can enter the school education scene of India?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Yes they can if there is merit in such a proposition and there are international schools in India which run the curricula of their respective countries including U.S and U.K besides other for expats. But the entry into the education sector of India is not arbitrary. There is a voluntary association of all the boards, under MHRD, of education boards of India COBSE that also includes NCERT, National Union of Education Planning and Administration (NUEPA)National Council of Teacher Education(NCTE) and even education boards of other nations. This serves as a forum of exchange of ideas and generation of policies. Random entry into the education system is not what is our education infrastructure is prone to.

raghuveer asked

I have seen different books being used to teach students of class 6th and 7th in two different CBSE schools, how is that explainable?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

As a matter of fact, CBSE does not prescribe text books until class 8th. It only recommends the NCERT curriculum for students from 1 to 8. NCERT curriculum is enforced from class 9th.

Sudarshan asked

If an organization that is responsible for conducting an exam like JEE and designing curriculum for CBSE, then is it irrational to say that the JEE exam syllabus will have similarity with the CBSE syllabus?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

I understand your concern. I shall correct just one technicality i.e. CBSE does not design syllabus NCERT does. As far as common elements in exams is concerned, they must be. JEE is +2 level exam and therefore based on +2 syllabus, however not on any syllabus exclusively.

Manjunath asked

I started a CBSE school five years ago and I intend to start A, AS level Cambridge International? Is there an aptitude test devised by Cambridge to select students for these courses?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

I do not believe there is any other exam, besides that of the preceding class that a student has to pass to get admitted into its courses. There is no aptitude test etc. that is invented for such purpose. You have to select students on your own discretion.

MS Rao asked

I teach mathematics in a CBSE school? Why do the schools disallow the use of very good supplementary books for teachers to teach from in schools while a student can study from them himself?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

I believe the “supplementary books” you are referring to are the guide books which are authored by several different scholars but are not authorized by NCERT, hence CBSE. CBSE does not allow to practice teaching from guide books because of several reasons including the difficulty in deciding which to choose. The student can very well study from any material he or she likes, no one can stop that.

Guru Chawla asked

My son has taken up IBDP after doing his class 10th from CBSE board. He is saying that there are lot of areas in social science subjects that he never heard before in CBSE classes? Is IB more developed or high in academic level?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The experiences of your son are genuine and should not be discounted. At the same time, we should remember that he has graduated to a higher class and will obviously come face to face with completely new topics. NCERT has a standard academic level in all subjects including those of social sciences, it depends on the schools how they implement the curriculum, what they teach and what they leave out. There is, of course, a difference of approach in IB and CBSE but they are equally rigorous academically.

Zakiya asked

If a student from a CBSE school in India shift to a CBSE school In Riyadh, will there be absolutely no difference in student’s life?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

I guess, there will be differences in the student life of the child as it also includes social cultural and linguistic aspects of life. But if you are concerned about the curriculum implementation and studies, there is little reason to think so because CBSE affiliation mandates standards that school can not infringe upon.

Satish Chansauria asked

In one of your articles you said that the central schools have permanent affiliation. What if the standards fall and teachers take it as typical government job. will CBSE withdraw the affiliation?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

If there is a gross dereliction of duty and negligence of warnings and memos there must be a process to discipline the school without jeopardizing the future of the students.

Gobind Lobiya asked

Why there is no relaxation in land required to open a CBSE school in Assam and other northeastern states?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

A cursory look at the land requirements section of CBSE affiliation bye-laws will clarify that there are considerable relaxations granted by the board to the north eastern states

Devanshu asked

I have been working for the education of the deprived through a NPO. my question was why cant CBSE take primary education under it’s wings rather than conducting exams like TET for just 3 to 4 years in which,i assure you, picture will change.

Vinod Kakumanu answered

It is heartening to know that there are people who have such practicable ideas rather than just words of cynicism. As far as your question is concerned, I am afraid I can really not answer “why”, but I am sure that it intervenes in designing the national policy of primary education and that is why it decides the eligibility of the teachers teaching the government primary classes. Education comes under both state and center list so the CBSE representing the Centre conducts all those responsibilities.

Vishu Payal asked

Are NCERT and CBSE Board is coming with frequent changes to with stand the competition from international programs?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Perhaps you have not versed with the nature of NCERT and its domain hence that question. NCERT oversees myriad aspects of the implementation of education policies. The objective of NCERT is to assist and advise the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare in the implementation of its policies and major programmes in the field of education, particularly school education. Drafting and publishing and recommending content of the school text books is just one of the aspects of NCERT. If the body deems any educational Programme inappropriate or driven by wrongful intent it will prevent its introduction in schools. . Research, Development, Training, Extension, Publication etc. are some of its major functions besides overseeing the dissemination of knowledge directly.

Kanika Reddy asked

What is meant by governance structure of the school which needs to be detailed at the time of affiliation application to the CBSE? Is it different from the school committee?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The school is expected to have a school governing body. The governance structure represented by the organogram of the school i.e. the hierarchy starting from the head of the Institution cascading through head of departments and so on. And yes, it is different from the school management committee, both bodies exist simultaneously.

ashwin harsh asked

Are there periodic inspections from CBSE of the affiliated schools?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Definitely there is a provision for that and the standards for affiliation are the ones which guide those periodic inspections.

naseer asked

NCERT books are recommended for civil services aspirants and the CBSE students study that, how can you say that they will not clearly benefit from their familiarity with the course?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The NCERT books are preferred way to familiarize oneself with the basics which become for most of the people redundant and obsolete with the years. They are not the syllabus for any of those exams. There is an industry that has sprung around competitive exams. To what extent would the high school years familiarity can be the decisive factor?

Yajvendra asked

I run a CBSE school in Kanpur (U.P.) I was wondering, will games and sports promotion lead to proactive growth of the students with athletic potential into sports from an early age ? I just wanted to enquire whether that is being deliberated by the CBSE?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

It is really something hard to know but if such a development happens what could possibly be better? Every institution is supposed to keep an eye on exceptional talent and prevent its loss from negligence or the monotony that routine obliges us to hold on to. But the question is not answerable yet, still there is no reason to believe that such an idea would be considered without merit.

Santosh Swami asked

What do they exactly mean when they say that NCERT syllabus is the cornerstone of sorts for IIT JEE and NEET?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

JEE, NEET are sometimes organized by the CBSE, that does not mean that the pattern of the exam would follow that of CBSE organized class 12th exam. it is the sequential learning, weightage to certain topics, level of difficulty of certain topics and subjects may be conducive to the exams under discussion. But this does not mean that it is to the disadvantage of the students studying under other boards, that would be ,not to mention, grossly unethical and even illegitimate. So as far as the question of proximity with “+ 2 big exams” is concerned, it just implies that the CBSE might teach certain topics with rigor while others with ease and incidentally, that fits the overall preparation of students for entrance exams. Nothing much must be read into it.

venkat rao asked

I am starting a CBSE school in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh and the construction of school is almost complete. Few parents walked in, expressed interest for ICSE syllabus. Can I offer both CBSE and ICSE syllabus in my school?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Absolutely Not. You must have physically separate campus, teachers and administration. Practically that would amount to running two separate schools.

Arun Panigrahi asked

is there a quota of freedom fighters for opening schools which might help in relaxation of minimum requirements?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

That is something up to the government of the respective state where you want to establish a school. It is a policy decision. We sincerely advise though for absolute authenticity of the application which pertains to the freedom fighter privilege.

vishwanath asked

I wish to open a CBSE school in Bangalore. We are at the stage of forming the non-proprietary organization—trust , society or company. Which of the three is most suitable as far as the running of a CBSE school is concerned?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Any of these non-proprietary entities are equally conducive to start a CBSE school, or any school for that matter. You are, like you said, preparing to establish one of these organizations. Making a choice is indeed not irrelevant but you have to consider multiple factors and a review of your disposition and that of the other stakeholders is due as well. You can’t hope to be sufficiently informed through correspondence. However, the section 8 company is reportedly conducive for FCRA i.e. Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

V.C.Rai asked

I plan to start a school in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. It is said that the schools cannot take capitation fee. What does capitation fee exactly mean?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

There are express directions for the schools regarding capitation fee which means any payment, financial contribution or donation other than the fee notified by the school.

Alok Shukla asked

We have been running a Sr. Secondary CBSE school for 6 years now. We wanted to know how significant is permanent affiliation in gaining recognition among reputed schools? Does permanent affiliation imply better school management?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Well, more than anything, permanent affiliation implies consistency and stability. It is provided to the schools run by societies or government and unaided private schools as well, once the board has enough reason to conclude that the school will continue to adhere to the standards without aberration and will be completely financially stable. Generally, school which have run on provisional affiliation for 10 years or so are good candidates for permanent affiliation. However, it does not have any bearing on functional aspects or classification of CBSE schools.

Subash Viswam asked

Is it mandatory for a CBSE school with provisional affiliation to apply for permanent affiliation after completion of 3 years?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

No it is not mandatory for the school to do so. The school has to focus on the standards and progress sustaining affiliation in the process. Only the schools which have been given an extension (3-5 years) of affiliation to satisfy the unfulfilled conditions need to worry about the provisional affiliation after getting it once.

Varun Gupta asked

I run a middle school in Lucknow. There are residential schools which have enrolled their students in private coaching institutes in the city for NEET, IIT JEE etc. is it legitimate for a school to do so?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The practice is legitimate if it is an expedient measure i.e. which is taken in response to a pressing need. It cannot be a policy or routine or parallel schooling. The students you refer may be class 12th students, who could be selected on merit, going for crash courses etc. the school can decide to get such assistance to students, it is very similar to arranging guest lecture. The assistance cannot be forced upon the students though. Besides, the measure of providing coaching classes cannot be made a promotional plank.

Dhananjai asked

Is it school’s responsibility to provide teacher training (like that in IB, Cambridge etc. ), also is there a schedule for training programmes set by CBSE?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Yes, the fact is that the onus of training the in-service teachers lies with the school. Every year one-week-long training programme under an organization identified by the board or a govt. recognized teacher’s training institute is a condition for sustaining CBSE affiliation.

Dhananjai asked

Is it school’s responsibility to provide teacher training (like that in IB, Cambridge etc. ), also is there a schedule for training programmes set by CBSE?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Yes, the fact is that the onus of training the in-service teachers lies with the school. Every year one-week-long training programme under an organization identified by the board or a govt. recognized teacher’s training institute is a condition for sustaining CBSE affiliation.

Jagdish Kumar asked

I run a CBSE school and want to know how can my school be chosen for a PPP enterprise?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

The schools that are part of a PPP school project are shortlisted by the corporates’ CSR management bodies. The schools that get to have a part have some or the other outstanding achievement in the sector of education. Anyway, the school that is selected is in fact a government school where a management from an efficient private school is implanted. Their influence is well-known in the area and they are known favorably in the region. Besides the school management must be experienced enough to turn waste into value and liability into asset.

Deepali Dhruv asked

In case the affiliation Bye-laws change, will my affiliation application which was rejected earlier for the insufficiency of infrastructure be reviewed?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

It depends on the board to put the changes in retrospective effect. yet most likely you will have to apply again and, in case, the bye-law relevant to your case is changed in your benefit it will still take time to be on the scene.

vinayak asked

is there a law under RTE to accommodate students even if they show up in middle of the academic year?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

No there is no such directive. RTE does not disrupt educational process it aims at academic equity

sneh asked

I already started a CBSE school till class X. I want to start IB diploma programme for senior secondary. I have been healing that it is not feasible for CBSE students to cope with IBDP and i will find it difficult to retain students. Is it really an incompatible arrangement as i have seen certain schools doing it.

Vinod Kakumanu answered

yours is not an unheard of case at all. in fact, a majority of schools starting IB face the problems of curricular inconsistency between IB and other boards including CBSE , ICSE and even IGCSE. the CBSE or ICSE schools which successfully run IBDP keep the option for students open to opt for CBSE or ICSE in class 11th and 12th. and those who want to take up IB can do so. In fact, CBSE students have shown great potential in scoring highly in IBDP.

Neha kaul asked

I have opened a new school which is till class 5. my plan is to add higher classes very quickly. The school is made on CBSE guidelines and we use NCERT books. I am going to open class 6th and 7th and apply for CBSE affiliation, can i call my school a CBSE school while promoting it.

Vinod Kakumanu answered

No, primary schools are not affiliated to boards, they are just recognized by state or any international organization along with the state. you have to apply for running middle class syllabus till class 8th and only then you can promote children to class 7th if you want it to carry CBSE credentials. do not use “CBSE affiliated” in advance in any case.

prachi asked

It has been in the news that school timings are going to be extended to make time for the sports period. it is said that the salaries of teachers would have to be raised in this arrangement? will this be mandatory for private CBSE schools?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

If such a directive comes into effect, it will apply to all CBSE schools. You submit EPF and ESIC records and if you expect the teachers to work more, you would agree, it is only fair that they are paid more.

Shiv Narain asked

Do extracurricular activities like sports have a set minimum budget in CBSE bye-laws?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

No, first of all sports is a co-curricular activity not an extra -curricular one. no directive regarding investment on sports, or for that matter, any curricular segment is set by the board. Resources have to be adequate and you have to give what it takes for it to be adequate.

Sumit Seth asked

CBSE organizes teacher training programs, is there any recorded material which can be used by schools as per their requirements?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Teacher training material is supplied to the schools in timely manner by the board itself. There is no such outlet, to the best of our knowledge where you can get the teacher training material for a price. Training programmes organized by CBSE are founded on thorough research of the pedagogical scenario and it is very essential for the teachers to attend every training programme that is meant for them.

Vijay asked

I am running a sr. secondary CBSE school with 3 streams, I want to start offering vocational streams with subjects like entrepreneurship, commercial art etc. Can I apply for affiliation to vocational subject’s from class 11th onwards?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

Getting affiliation for running vocational stream for a private institution is not usual as it is considered challenging. The infrastructure, resources, instructors and teachers required for sustaining subjects of the vocational stream are substantial. The affiliation for vocational subjects will have to be taken at the secondary level too as there are school certificate exams in class Xth too. The range of vocational subjects is wide say, from Geospatial technology to fashion designing or financial market management to food production besides the ones you mentioned. It is vital to assess how many of these would you be able to offer your students. To have the resources to give students what they expect while opting for vocational stream is a tremendous responsibility, if one can do that it is very rewarding.

Arindam Chattejee asked

Is it possible for a private school to apply only CTET qualified teachers or use CTET scores to employ teachers?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

There is no rule or law preventing any private unaided school to set the terms of eligibility like CTET qualified. However, it will be extremely difficult for you to find teachers for all subjects and disciplines that are CTET qualified. First, around 6 to 8 percent qualify and that’s the all India average and recruiting on the basis of scores of a one –day exam only can be a little short-sighted. You should concentrate on the academic record and professionalism of the teacher rather than CTET as an all-encompassing mark of competence.

Chandramohan asked

I run IB PYP curriculum, I want to apply for affiliation of CBSE, can I directly apply for provisional affiliation for secondary classes IX and X. Do I have to necessarily get affiliated to CBSE for class 7th and 8th or I can directly go for affiliation from class 9th?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

It is advisable to apply for Middle Class Syllabus approval for class 7th and 8th. In any event, you will be using the CBSE and IB name for positioning your school, you would not, I believe, like to mention that class 7th and 8th are unaffiliated. Not mentioning it thus amounts to declaring that they are affiliated, so it is proper to get the approval for running NCERT syllabus, which is anyway what you would be doing.

Rohit Prasad asked

I am running a CBSE school with a provisional affiliation till class X. I am applying for sr. secondary affiliation. Besides that, we want to start class IX and X IGCSE for which more students (from within the school and outside) have applied than I have seats. Can I select them through an exam or on the basis of merit? It has come to my knowledge that I cannot take recourse to any discriminatory practice, what is the right course of action?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

appeal of the new course with the international tag attached is understandable. You will have to use your discretion in dealing with the applications of your own students as you cannot reject it simply like an external application. If the raised cost is not deterring them, you will have to counsel both parents and students for which you can seek help of Cambridge International representative. Using merit list is viable but counselling of the child is the best course to take.

Fayaz asked

My school have been denied affiliation by the CBSE as the teachers do not possess required qualification. I have been informed, the board grants time and exemption in the matter of teacher’s qualification for the schools in regions where the availability of teachers is low. Is there any way to get the board to reconsider?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

You will have to understand that the rejection on the ground of ill-qualified teachers comes only if a majority of the teachers in your employ do not have the requisite degrees and are, most likely, paid low. And as far as the question of general unavailability of teachers is concerned, if the region is deemed to be one of such cases the board must have considered and given you time. After all, are there really no schools in your area with qualified teachers? It is pointless to mull over reconsideration as inadequacy of qualification directly has a bearing on the future of the students and unless you correct that affiliation is hard to come by. Before arriving at a decision to start a school, aspiring school promoters must take into consideration the availability of teachers in the target location.

Dhiren asked

I am planning to apply for affiliation from CBSE. CBSE bye-laws say that I can have an understanding with another organization for arranging the space for sports and physical education classes. Can I associate with a preschool near my school for sports and Physical Education?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

I don’t think that it would be practical or proper to associate with a playschool for sports and physical education purposes for school children. For one it would not have the required space, given it is a preschool. It will also be inimical for the environment of the playschool itself. Furthermore, the total area after the collaborative arrangement with other organization the total area at the school’s disposal must not be lesser than 2 acres and the collaboration with any organization must be based on transparent and legitimate terms with no violation or irregularity.

Gayathri asked

We run a school which secured provisional affiliation in 2015, although we have taken steps to maintain quality of teachers and infrastructure etc as per the CBSE guidelines the strength of the school has been decreasing for the last two years. Some people have suggested to us that if the strength keeps falling CBSE is liable to withdraw our school’s affiliation, is it correct?

Vinod Kakumanu answered

CBSE does not deny or withdraw affiliation basing it on the enrollment trend of the school. The drop in the strength is not one of the criteria per se. However, if the decreased rate of admissions is indicative of deep-seated problems involving school management, teaching standards etc. the board may take cognizance and scrutinize the practices of the school before deciding to withdraw affiliation.

Related on Founder's Blog

Popular on Founder's Blog