CBSE changes class 9, 11 admission rules: Parents, schools call it ‘complicated’

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In case a student is shifting schools due to a change in the business of parents, then they will have to provide an old and new business address and bank records to the school and hence to the CBSE. In case of change of parents’ jobs, a copy of appointment letter attested (in blue ink only) by the organisation/establishment where the parent(s) of student joined. If the student would be living with a relative in the new city, identity proof of relative and their details would also be needed.

The move has been criticised by parents across the board. Remarked a member of the Delhi Parents Association, “Getting a transfer certificate from school is itself a tedious task; getting details regarding their result, that too of the past five years, is really not possible. Ideally, such data should be provided on school websites, but there is no such provision. This will only make parents run from pillar to post for admissions.” She added, “If a parent is shifting jobs, providing offer letters and other details should not be a mandate as it means sharing very personal data. In most cases, students change their school because they have issues with a teacher; in such cases, schools will not be able to give that in writing. How will such transfers take place?”

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The rules have also changed for schools, which will have to send all requests for class 9 and 11 in one go to the CBSE. This will ensure a fixed deadline for the schools, in terms of accepting applications.

The principal of a UP-based school, on condition of anonymity said, “It is a democratic country and the prerogative of the child and parents to decide where they wish to take admission. This is an added burden of paperwork for schools, that too when the country is talking about a digitised economy. We also have to employ an additional person to check the authenticity of the documents. After that, once CBSE checks it and sends it back, in case a document is missing or does not get verified, it will be an added challenge for students. The transfer certificate that schools issue to students already considers necessary details. Why some parent chooses to shift and where is irrelevant and should not impact a child’s education.”

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The rules will be implemented from the academic year 2020, implying those seeking change in school can do so in the current year as per the present rules. The move, said the board in a written notice, is to demotivate unnecessary transfers. Controller of Examination, CBSE, Sanyam Bhardwaj in the curriculum said, “The last-minute shifting of schools does not provide a conducive educational environment to students, as they are not well-acquainted with new classmates and teachers.”