CBSE Affiliation: One-time approval granted for SARAS applications (2022-23)

According to the latest notice released by the Board, CBSE has accorded a one-time relaxation for furnishing relevant safety certificates.

Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE has granted a one-time approval to applications that were pending under School Affiliation Re-Engineered Automated System, SARAS. The decision has been taken in line with National Education Policy, NEP 2020 and applies to the academic year 2022-23. SARAS has been implemented by CBSE to dispose off any cases it receives in a time-bound manner. The same has also been done to avoid any undue harassment to all stakeholders concerned. After observing that many schools were facing issues while procuring mandatory documents required as per Affiliation Bye Laws 2018, due to the partial working of government offices amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CBSE decided to come up with this solution.

According to the latest notice released by the Board, CBSE has accorded a one-time relaxation for furnishing relevant safety certificates. The notice reads, “It has been noticed that the schools are facing problems in procuring mandatory documents required as per Affiliation Bye Laws 2018, as the Govt. offices in the States are not functioning with full strength due to COVID-19 pandemic. In absence of mandatory certificate(s), the applications under SARAS for session 2022-23 are getting rejected and schools needs to apply afresh with requisite fees. Therefore, in order to avoid hardship to the schools/ students, the Competent Authority of the Board, after due consideration has accorded one-time relaxation for furnishing relevant safety certificates…”

Thereby CBSE has granted approval to the schools that had applied under SARAS for the following categories of school for session 2022-23:

• Extension of Affiliation
• Section increase
• Introduction of Additional Subject
• Permission of two shifts
• Permission of name change of school or society
• Transfer of school from one society to another

CBSE Affiliation: Important directions released by the Board

Even after the relaxation, the Board has mandated that the schools must update the mandatory certificates on their websites with a prominent icon reading as 'Mandatory Public Disclosure.' This is an important step for the safety of the students. For this, CBSE has even released some directions that schools must follow.

• The extension will be granted by CBSE for a period of 5 years to all cases of extension registered up to 2022-23. This will be done irrespective of at what stage the application is pending.
• The schools must maintain all records of certificates, compliances, data and other relevant information and must produce such records as and when asked by the Board.
• Schools must ensure fire safety, building safety and all other mandatory certificates are available. All documents must be valid and renewed on timely basis during the running of schools.
• CBSE also reserves the right to conduct inspections in schools as per some clause of the Affiliation Bye-Laws 2018. Under this law, the school has to ensure that all documents are readily available and produced as and when asked by the Board.

Check the official notice released by CBSE below:

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