CBSE affiliation system restructured, application window to open thrice a year

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has restructured its affiliation system. The application window for affiliation will open thrice every year, and the process will be completely online and driven by data-analytics. 

This development aims at streamlining the entire affiliation process, and facilitating convenience for schools wanting or preparing to apply under various categories of affiliation. The process will be active 2021 onwards, and will have three windows: March 1 to 31, June 1 to 30 and September 1 to 30.

For extension of affiliation, the application window will open once a year from March 1 to May 31.

However, those applying for offering additional subjects, section increase, change of school name etc, the application window will remain open throughout the year from March 1.

Although the CBSE affiliation system went online in 2006, the new structure system will be entirely digital and based on data-analytics, with least human intervention. The aim is to achieve an automated and data-driven decision and achieve transparency, make the entire system accountable and have a time-bound and quick application disposal system.

“A detailed document on CBSE School Affiliation System containing the re-structured online procedure for affiliation, documents required for application for affiliation, modalities and SOP for inspection, guidelines for inspection committee, videos for various processes will be soon uploaded on the CBSE website,” said a notification signed by CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi, sent to principals of all CBSE schools.

CBSE has advised schools to check if they meet all mandatory requirements before going ahead with the application process.

The latest re-structuring of the affiliation systems and processes, according to CBSE, is in line with the various recommendations for systemic reforms laid down in the National Education Policy 2020.