Govt may announce new affiliation norms for CBSE schools today

NEW DELHI: The Union human resource development (HRD) ministry is likely to announce fresh affiliation norms for the schools under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday, according to officials familiar with the development.

There was a need to update the existing norms that are three decades old, said a ministry official who asked not to be named.

“The new norms will have a far-reaching effect on the way school education is conducted in the country,” he added.

From 309 schools in 1962, the Board, as on July 2018, has given affiliations to 20,299 schools in India and 220 schools in 25 foreign countries.

These include 1,123 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 2,953 government or aided schools, 15,837 independent schools, 592 Jawahar Novodaya Vidyalayas and 14 central Tibetan schools.

Another government official said that the board and the ministry have been focusing on making quality education affordable, while ensuring that school campuses are safe.

The fresh norms come at a time when there have been several key policy initiatives on education.

The most significant among them is a New Education Policy that is in the works and is likely to be announced soon.

OFFICIALS SAID THE CBSE AND THE HRD MINISTRY ARE FOCUSING ON AFFORDABLE QUALITY EDUCATION

AND SAFE CAMPUSES