CBSE : Re-alignment of per section student strength to 40 per section over the next 3 years

CBSE : Re-alignment of per section student strength to 40 per section over the next 3 years 

No. CBSE/CE/CIRCULAR/2023

Dated:  02.08.2023

All the Principals of the CBSE affiliated Schools

As per Clause 4.8 of Chapter Of The Affiliation By-Laws 2018 :

“The optimum number of students shall be 40 in each section. Availability of l square meter of Built-Up Floor Area per child in the classrooms is an absolute necessity in the School .”

In 2019, all the schools were reminded to ensure clause 4.8 of Affiliation Bye-Laws . However, looking into the problem faced by the schools, CBSE has granted permission to increase the number of students to 45 only per section in case there are direct admissions in Classes X and XII . During the period of Covid, students were leaving the schools, hence, most of the schools were meeting the student strength criteria. This year, it has come to the notice that schools have not followed the directions of CBSE and they had taken the normal admissions up to 45 or more . Schools have granted normal admissions instead of direct admissions against the directions of the CBSE.

• Now, that the situation is normalised, there is a need to re-align the number o students permitted in each section, as per the above provisions of Affiliation By-Laws 2018 to ensure quality education in the schools. Reference of Circular No CBSE/ CE/ PS/ Coord/ 2023 dated 24.07.2023 is invited wherein restriction on the number of students per section to 40 and 45 in classes IX, XI and X, XII respectively for direct admissions is mentioned.
• Number of representations have been received by the CBSE from the stakeholders citing exceptional circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic , wherein it is stated that a large number of candidates migrated from one place to another as families moved towards their hometowns, parents working abroad such as middle-east countries migrated back to their native places, students studying in the residential schools went back to their families, etc. During this period, the schools have also faced a number of challenges in continuing the education of the students. In addition to this, there has been a natural succession of students in the schools who were promoted from junior classes to higher classes.

• After due deliberation on the above issue, the Board has decided to relax the number of students per section from 40 to 45 for a period of 3 years (Session 2023-24, 2024-2025 & 2025-2026) to rationalise the number of students who are already enrolled in the school. It is expected that the schools will rationalise and restrict students’ intake in each section as per Affiliation bye-laws by regulating admissions  in junior  classes in the forthcoming years.
• During this period of 3 years (Session 2023-24 , 2024-2025 2025-2026) , the Schools shall re-align the students’ strength to 40 Students per section . The Schools are expected to systematically and gradually, reduce and maintain the strength in all sections up to the level of 40 over the next 3 years (Session 2023- 24, 2024-2025 & 2025-2026) so that the ratio mentioned in the above rule is followed in letter and spirit.
• In case, the school meets the infrastructural requirements of availability of land as per bye-laws , it may apply for an increase in the number of sections in SARAS to accommodate more students. In order to facilitate the Schools, it has been decided to extend the last date for section increase application(s) in SARAS to 31st August, 2023.
• It is re-iterated that, the exception shall not be treated as a change in rule to increase the section strength to 45 students per section beyond the time of three years. The schools are required to utilize this permission of 45 students per section, judiciously and ensure that the section strengths are re-aligned to 40 students per section in each class over the next 3 years (Session 2023-24, 2024-2025 & 2025-2026) by regulating the admissions from Junior classes from the date of issue of this circular.
• Non compliance of the above directions issued by the Board will be the sole responsibility of the School and the Board will not accept any request against the instructions issued by it.

1. All Managers/ Principals of Independent category schools Affiliated to CBSE. 

2 . The Commissioner, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan,  18 Institutional Area, Shaheed, Jeet Singh Marg, New Delhi 110016.

3. The  Commissioner,  Navodaya  Vidyalya  Samiti,  B-15,  Institutional  Area, Sector 62, Noida 201307, District Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh .

4. The Director of Education, Directorate of Education, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Old Secretariat, Delhi  110054.

5. The  Director  of  Public  Instruction  (Schools),  Union  Territory  Secretariat, Sector 09, Chandigarh   160017.

6. The Director of Education, Govt. of Sikkim, Gangtok, Sikkim 737101.

7. The  Director  of  School  Education,  Govt.  of  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Itanagar 791111.

8. The Director of Education,  Govt. of A& N Islands,  Port Blair 744101.

9. All Education Secretaries of States/ UTs.

10. Deputy  Secretary to  the Chairman, CBSE for  kind  information  to the Chairman.

11. All HODs of CBSE.

12. The Joint Secretary (A & L), CBSE.

13. The Joint Secretary (Affiliation), CBSE

14. All the Regional Directors/ Regional Officers/ COE Heads of CBSE with the request to disseminate the information further.

15. The Assistant Secretary (IT), CBSE, Preet Vihar, Delhi-92 – with request to upload the Circular in the main page. as well as in the SARAS Portal for information to all stakeholders.

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