Is the Nexus Between Dummy Schools and Coaching Institutes Damaging Education in Rajasthan?

Jaipur, Sep 20 (NationPress) The Rajasthan High Court has expressed serious concerns regarding the increasing collaboration between dummy schools and coaching institutes, labeling it a serious stain on the current education system.

Justice Anoop Dhand made this statement during the hearing of petitions from two private schools in Kota and their students.

In a pivotal decision, the court mandated the CBSE, the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education, and the state government to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct surprise inspections at schools and coaching centers throughout the state. Should students be found enrolled in schools but attending coaching classes during school hours, the court instructed that action be taken against both institutions.

"The State of Rajasthan and all boards are instructed to form Special Investigating Teams (SITs) to conduct unexpected inspections of all schools and coaching centers. If students are discovered absent from these schools yet present in coaching centers during school hours, strict actions must be enforced against all parties involved, including the schools and coaching centers, as per the law," the court stated.

The court also highlighted that transferring students from schools to coaching centers negatively impacts their academic progress. The bench asserted that students should not be allowed to sit for board examinations if their studies are found to be disrupted mid-session.

“Numerous schools are offering dummy admissions from grades 9 to 12, enabling students to evade school and attend coaching for competitive exams like NEET and JEE during school hours.

This practice, often with parental consent, has transformed education into a commercial venture,” the court noted.

Justice Dhand underscored that the connection between dummy schools and coaching institutes is eroding the integrity of the education system, urging for mandatory attendance regulations for students from grades 9 to 12.

Previous inspections by the CBSE at two Kota schools uncovered several violations. The Board discovered that these schools had enrolled dummy students, manipulated records, and did not maintain the requisite teacher-student ratio.

Consequently, the CBSE revoked the senior secondary affiliation of both schools for one year.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate R.B. Mathur, representing the schools, contended that the CBSE had only imposed fines on another institution for similar issues, while these two schools faced more severe penalties. Acknowledging this argument, the High Court directed the CBSE to ensure that any actions taken align with established norms and are applied uniformly.

The court also ordered the CBSE not to transfer affected students to other schools during the current academic session.