CBSE Board Exam 2025- Delhi High Court Directs CBSE & GOVT to take Strict Action Against Dummy Schools

Delhi High Court has directed the CBSE and GOVT to take Strict Action Against Dummy Schools and fake admission. During a PIL hearing, the court observed that many students enroll in coaching classes and bypass school education by enrolling dummy schools and are still allowed to take board exams.

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The Hon’ble High Court of Delhi has issued a strict order against dummy schools and fake admission for CBSE schools. The Delhi High Court has directed the state government and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to address the issue of ‘dummy’ schools and fake admissions that allow students to take exams without attending regular classes.

Delhi High Court Directs CBSE & GOVT to take Strict Action Against Dummy Schools

A panel consisting of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed that certain students avoid traditional schooling by taking admission in coaching centers, but are still permitted to take board exams.

The court stressed that these practices, which include submitting misleading attendance information, should not be allowed. The court condemned this practice as dishonest and intolerable.

Petitioner Rajeev Aggarwal contested the eligibility requirements set by Delhi University and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University for allocating MBBS and BDS seats through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Delhi HC.

Delhi High Court Observation on Dummy Schools and Fake Admission

The High Court bench noted that these schools were providing Delhi domicile benefits to students from other states and requested an affidavit from the Delhi government and CBSE detailing the measures taken against these institutions.

On responding to the government counsel claim of “dummy” schools being exaggerated and mischaracterized, the court retorted, “You are delightfully sleeping, blissfully unaware. Give us details of when you gave a show cause notice, what action you have taken, and against which school”.

Delhi Government Response

In the hearing, the lawyer for the Delhi government argued that the idea of a “dummy” school is nonexistent and that the problem of “fake admissions” is being overstated and misrepresented in the public interest litigation that led to such a ruling.

The Counsel for the Delhi government argued that “dummy” schools offered students a “virtual platform” to show that they had moved to Delhi after completing their class 10 exams, solely to gain an advantage in the allocation of state quota seats that should rightfully go to actual residents of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

CBSE Response on Dummy Schools

CBSE Counsel claimed that schools must follow affiliation regulations, and necessary measures are implemented for any breaches. The legal representative of the CBSE stated that actions have been taken against more than 300 ‘dummy’ schools across the country.

Delhi HC Order on PIL Against Dummy Schools and Fake Admissions

The court has ordered the Delhi government and CBSE to carry out inspections to find and tackle the problem of ‘dummy’ schools. Officials have been directed to submit affidavits outlining the measures taken against these institutions. The order statements has been given below.

We call upon counsel for the state government and the CBSE to file an additional affidavit giving details of action taken in case any information regarding ‘dummy’ schools is received.
We also direct the education department to conduct a survey and if warranted, surprise inspection also, to collect necessary information and share it with the CBSE.
CBSE will also gather information and share it with the state government. Once such information is received, necessary action permissible in law be taken against the management of such schools.

What are Dummy Schools

‘Dummy’ schools are establishments that register students who do not participate in standard classes, enabling them to concentrate solely on preparation for competitive exams. This trend frequently sees students from different states enrolling in schools in Delhi to take advantage of the state’s admission quota, which puts authentic local students at a disadvantage.

The Delhi High Court’s order seeks to maintain the integrity of the education system by making sure that all students fulfill the required attendance criteria and that admissions under the state quota are allocated justly. The court has planned additional hearings to assess the measures taken by the authorities regarding this issue.