The Rajasthan High Court has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) to enforce regular attendance in schools for Classes 9 to 12. It also asked the board to conduct surprise checks at coaching classes to ensure students don’t attend these during school hours.
During a court ruling, Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand observed that it is mandatory for students to maintain at least 75 percent attendance, with schools subject to sudden inspections. Any unjustified absence or dummy admissions would invite disciplinary action against students, schools, and responsible authorities.
The case arose after inspections conducted by CBSE found serious deficiencies in three schools. Subsequently, show-cause notices were issued to these schools, and penalties were imposed in October last year. This included immediate withdrawal of provisional affiliations for senior secondary levels – that is, from Classes 9-12.
These schools were also barred from taking fresh admissions, but were given the option of having their affiliation restored after rectifying deficiencies. Meanwhile, their students were asked to move to nearby schools.
Two schools – as well as students from Classes 10 and 12 — challenged this order. In their petitions, the students said that their education was being disrupted mid-session.
In its order, the court noted that form submission for board examinations had already begun and that moving students at this stage could adversely affect their academics.
The court also put the ball in CBSE’s court, giving the board four weeks to reconsider its decision for the three schools. The schools could still take legal recourse in case of an adverse order.
Story continues below this ad
The court also ordered that students who had already completed half of their academic session should not be moved and should be allowed to appear in the upcoming board examinations if found otherwise eligible.
At the same time, the court directed the CBSE and the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education to conduct random inspections to check attendance of both students and teachers. It also ordered the Rajasthan government and all secondary boards to form Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to conduct surprise checks in schools and coaching centres.
“If students are found absent from schools but present in coaching centres during school hours, strict action is to be taken against schools, coaching centres, and all stakeholders
