Gurgaon: In a move towards transparency, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) reiterated detailed guidelines requiring all affiliated schools to publicly disclose key information related to staff members, the administration, academics and infrastructure.The decision came in response to long-standing concerns from parents in districts like Gurgaon, who often questioned why the qualifications, experience, and subject-specific expertise of teachers were not readily available. Schools will now be required to prominently display general details such as the name of the institution, affiliation number, school code, complete address with PIN code, name and qualifications of the principal, official email ID and contact numbers. Previously, many school websites were found to be outdated or intentionally vague regarding staff data.Moreover, the board has placed special emphasis on the upload of self-attested documents. Schools must make available copies of affiliation or upgradation letters, trust or society registration certificates, no objection certificates issued by the state govt where applicable, recognition certificates under the Right to Education Act, valid building safety certificates as per the national building code, fire safety certificates issued by competent authorities, and drinking water, health and sanitation certificates, along with water testing reports.CBSE has warned that if any document is later found to be fake or misleading, action will be taken against the school as per board norms.Schools are also required to disclose academic information, including their fee structure, annual academic calendar, lists of school management committee and parents teachers association members, and board examination results for Classes X and XII for the last three years, where applicable.The guidelines, which mandate detailed disclosure of teaching staff information, call for display of total teaching strength, qualifications of PGTs, TGTs and PRTs, teacher to section ratio, and details of special educators, counsellors and wellness teachers for the public.Infrastructure details are also to be disclosed, including the campus area, number and size of classrooms, laboratories and libraries, whether internet facilities are available, number of toilets for girls, boys and children with special needs, and a link to a YouTube video showing a physical inspection of the school infrastructure.Educationists said the revised norms would help parents make informed choices when it came to selecting schools for their children, improve safety of students and strengthen accountability in schools affiliated with the board.
