Explained: CBSE’s 75% attendance rule for taking Class 10, 12 exams this year

These students are supposed to take their Class 10 and 12 Board exams, and as per rules, those who do not have at least 75 per cent attendance will not be allowed to appear for them.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed its affiliated schools to calculate the attendance of Class 10 and Class 12 students as on January 1, 2020.

These students are supposed to take their Class 10 and 12 Board exams, and as per rules, those who do not have at least 75 per cent attendance will not be allowed to appear for them.

The Board exams are set to begin on February 15, and admit cards will be issued only to the students who are eligible.

Is this a new rule that CBSE has made?

No. CBSE had earlier issued a circular on the attendance policy in August 2019.

That circular had stressed the need to create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) around attendance, so as to ensure the “importance of the classes and the attendance”.

“As per analysis of the result of 2019 of the students whose attendance had been condoned have performed poorly in the examination”, CBSE said.

Now, in its new notice dated December 27, 2019, it has asked schools to calculate the attendance as per Rules 13 and 14 of the examination bylaws.

What are Rules 13 and 14 of the examination bylaws?

Rule 13, titled “A Regular Course of Study”, says: “No student from a School affiliated to the Board shall be eligible to take the senior School Certificate Examination conducted by the Board unless he has completed 75% of attendance counted from the opening of Class XII up to the first of the month preceding the month in which the examination commences in the internal assessment.”

For students participating in sports at the national level organised by recognised federations, a minimum of 60 per cent of attendance is required.

Rule 14, titled “Rules for Condonation of Shortage of Attendances” states that in cases where the attendance of a pupil falls below 75 per cent, the head of the school may submit the name of the student concerned to the Board provisionally.

These rules are applicable to subjects of internal assessment as well.

“If the candidate is still short of the required percentage of attendance within three weeks of the commencement of the examination, the Head of the Institution shall report the case to the Regional Officer concerned immediately,” the rule says.

The school head can submit their recommendation to the Regional Officer for condonation of shortage of attendance if they think that the candidate deserves special consideration.

The Chairman of the CBSE can offer condonation of shortage in attendance up to 15 per cent below the prescribed requirements.

In cases where it is below 60 per cent, the Chairman can offer condonation only in “exceptional circumstances created on medical grounds”, which include the candidate suffering from diseases including cancer, AIDS, tuberculosis or similar diseases that require prolonged periods of hospitalisation.

As per the rules, “The Principal shall refer a case of shortage within the above prescribed limit of condonation to the Board, either with the recommendations or with valid reasons for not recommending the case.”

Schools need to consider attendance of students up to January 1 of the academic session, and they must, by January 7, compile all shortages in attendance along with documents required, if any.

Within 15 days of the date of receipt of the attendance list and documents, the Regional Office will communicate any deficiencies to the school (latest by January 21).

Within seven days of communication received from the Regional Office, schools will need to communicate the fulfillment of deficiency. February 7 is the last date for the CBSE to accord any approvals.

What does the CBSE circular say about exceptions?

The notice mentions five “valid” reasons for condonation of shortage of attendance including prolonged illness, loss of father/mother or some other reason that merits special attention and authorised participation in sports at the national or international level organised by recognised federations, the CBSE or the School Games Federation of India (SGFI).

List of documents needed

To pass the exams, candidates need to clear both theory and practical exams separately. For CBSE, candidates need to secure 33 per cent marks to pass.