A recent order by the Delhi High Court has once again drawn attention to the issue of “dummy” admissions in Classes 11 and 12, where students remain enrolled in schools on paper while preparing for competitive exams elsewhere. These students were reportedly attending private coaching for JEE or NEET while remaining on school rolls to stay eligible for board exams and state-specific quotas.
The development comes amid a wider crackdown by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Delhi government on schools suspected of facilitating such arrangements.
Acting on concerns raised during inspections by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), several schools in Delhi have come under regulatory scrutiny. Reports indicate that at least 22 schools have faced action from CBSE and the Delhi government, including well-known institutions such as Richmondd Global School, Hansraj Model School and Siddhartha Public School. In many cases, schools have either been barred from running Classes 11 and 12 or have faced restrictions on admitting new students in these grades.
Inspections reportedly revealed that a large number of students listed in Classes 11 and 12 were enrolled only on paper. Many of them were believed to be attending coaching institutes instead of regular school classes while keeping school enrolment active to remain eligible for Class XII board examinations.
Concerns Around Attendance and Quota Misuse
Education authorities have expressed concern over the practice for several years, noting that it undermines attendance requirements in schools. Officials have also flagged the possibility of misuse of such enrolments to claim eligibility under Delhi’s domicile-based quotas for engineering and medical college admissions.
Investigations in several cases reportedly revealed that schools had admitted far more students than their available infrastructure and teaching staff could support, raising further questions about the authenticity of attendance records.
High Court Action in Richmondd Global School Case
The issue gained further attention in the case of Richmondd Global School in Paschim Vihar, where the Delhi High Court recently barred the institution from running higher secondary classes or admitting new students in Classes XI and XII. The court also initiated contempt proceedings against the school’s management for allegedly violating an earlier undertaking given to the court.
As part of the order, the court directed the school to deposit ₹75 lakh with the court registry, noting that the amount had been collected as fees from hundreds of students who were enrolled in senior secondary classes but were not attending school regularly.
The court also took steps to ensure that students already preparing for board examinations are not unfairly affected. Around 128 Class XII students have been allowed to transfer to another CBSE-affiliated school, where they will be able to complete the necessary formalities for appearing in the board exams.
More Stringent Measures Going Forward
The recent action forms part of a wider crackdown on dummy schooling. Over the past year, CBSE has conducted surprise inspections, withdrawn affiliations of several schools, and downgraded others from senior secondary to secondary level for failing to comply with attendance and infrastructure requirements.
Officials have also reiterated that the 75% attendance rule will be enforced strictly, and students who do not meet the requirement may not be allowed to appear for board examinations through regular schools.
Source: Times of India
