A circular of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) seeking to limit the number of students to 40 per division over the next three years has upset the managing bodies of affiliated schools in Kerala.

The CBSE school managements in Kerala objected to the new regulation to limit the number of students per class saying it will lead to financial crisis and in turn force them to raise tuition fees. 

The school authorities also claimed that starting new divisions on the basis of the order will require installing new facilities and infrastructure and appointment of new teachers to accommodate a meagre number of students.

In 2018 CBSE had asked the schools to limit the number of students to 40 per section, citing affiliation by-laws. 

The number of students in classes 11 and 12 who took direct admissions can however go upto 45, states the circular issued to schools.  The circular also states it is essential to ensure one square foot for a student.

However, the order was put on hold during the Covid pandemic phase. Meanwhile, schools continued to admit up to 65 students per division. The board instructed the schools to follow the old guidelines as the situation went back to normal.

The circular also states that if the number of students exceeds the limit of 40, new divisions have to be formed and the schools must pay an amount of Rs 75,000 per new section.

Kerala CBSE School Management Association Chairman T P Ibrahim Khan has requested the board to do away with the additional fee stipulation to open a new division.  Another request to withdraw the decision have been sent to the Chairman and Secretary of the CBSE by All-Kerala Self-Financing School Federation State President Ramdas Kathiroor.