CISCE plans crackdown on Plus-II dummy schools

Kolkata: Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) chairman G Immanuel, who is also the president of Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE), hinted that he will discuss the issue of an increasing number of dummy schools at the higher secondary level at an upcoming meeting in June to find a solution to this problem. Immanuel was in Kolkata on Friday to attend the 254th birth anniversary of Raja Rammohan Roy, organised by Rammohan Mission School. He expressed concern about dummy schools, which are becoming popular among students preparing for competitive exams, like NEET, JEE Main, and other entrance tests. "We are living in a time when everyone is in a rat race to crack entrance tests. Some coaching centres are coming up with dummy schools, where they ask students to enrol without worrying about attendance so they can continue their preparations smoothly. These things should be controlled. CISCE has already reduced language pressure at the higher secondary level, but 75% attendance is mandatory for appearing for the exam. Everyone must follow it," he said."This is not only an issue for CISCE schools; the same is relevant for other boards," he added. He also said the dummy-school concept is one of the reasons for the exodus after class 10. Immanuel was awarded the ‘Rammohan Puraskar' by Rammohan Mission School for his contribution as an educationist. Writer Smaranjit Chakraborty was also awarded the same honour for his work.