The CBSE’s latest circular permitting schools to get its affiliation without the need for a No Objection Certificate from the state government might just trigger an exodus of matriculation schools in the state to the CBSE. Schools in the state waiting to move to the CBSE feel that the move will remove bureaucratic hurdles and ensure speedy affiliation to the CBSE.
“The move of the CBSE is very good news. As of now there are 654 schools awaiting NOC from the state to move to CBSE. This move will not only remove the bureaucratic delays and hurdles but put an end to the heavy bribes that officials and politicians demand from the schools to grant the NOC. Hundreds of schools in the state will be moving to the CBSE next year,” said K R Nandhaa Kumaar, State general secretary of Tamilnadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation, Higher Secondary and CBSE School’s association.
CBSE affiliation holds lure for matriculation schools owing to the advantage of a national syllabus and NCERT quality textbook.
“Parents want the children to study in the CBSE affiliated schools since it is a national syllabus. Both schools and parents do not want the Samacheer Kalvi and prefer the CBSE. Especially in smaller towns, parents tend to send students far away to Chennai where there are relatively more number of CBSE schools, to educate their children. All this will change with the new move,” he said.
But some pointed out that it has to be seen how each state government deals with the circular. As per the circular dated July 8, the schools seeking provisional affiliation with the Board must have formal prior recognition of the state or union territory.
It must also produce evidence to the effect that the applicant school had intimated to the education department of the state concerned about the application made to CBSE seeking affiliation. In case the Board receives any objection during the process of application of the school, the Board may ask the school to produce the No Objection certificate from the state government.
Meanwhile if the state or the UT does not send such an objection it would be assumed that the State/UT government concerned has No Objection to granting CBSE affiliation.
“The state governments can still send objections to the CBSE regarding granting the affiliation, but the tediousness of the process might make the state government selective about this. But it has to be seen how each state government will react to it. If there is a positive attitude from the state government, then more schools might take to CBSE,” said Ajeeth Prasad Jain, senior principal, Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram.