Twenty-five schools in Manipur lost their Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliation after the state government told the board it had not given these schools no-objection certificates (NOC).
The schools in question are located in the Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts, according to India Today.
The affiliation was withdrawn after messages congratulating the schools over the switching of boards surfaced on social media, prompting the state government to point out to the CBSE that the NOC submitted by these schools were not issued by it.
What Happened?
As per CBSE bylaws, all state board schools must get a no-objection certificate from the state government before applying for central board affiliation.
Joint Secretary Education (School) of Manipur Anjali Chongtham on Tuesday, 19 December, said that the CBSE withdrew its affiliation, which was recently granted to 25 schools, on the grounds that authorised functionaries of the state government had not issued the NOC submitted by these schools.
"...it is also clarified that necessary action will be initiated against those responsible for flouting rules and regulations of the state government or of CBSE. If any school is found not following due process in the future, necessary action will be initiated against them also, apart from withdrawing of affiliation by competent authority," Chongtham said in a statement.
Among these schools, 11 received CBSE affiliation between May 2020 and May 2023.
The remaining 14 got affiliated with the central board over the past six months. All 25 schools are situated in the hill districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, which are regions embroiled in the ongoing ethnic tensions between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes.
What the Manipur Govt Said
The state government said that it was unaware of such a development, as all state-run schools need an NOC to apply for CBSE affiliation.
The state's Education Minister Thounaojam Basantakumar Singh, in a statement, said the government had not given any no-objection certificate to schools for CBSE affiliation in a long time.
He added that the last time the Manipur government gave an NOC for affiliation was in May 2020.
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