India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released a circular to heads of schools affiliated with the board, detailing their attendance policy. These rules will apply to Grade 10 and 12 students appearing for board exams in the year 2026.
The circular states that students must maintain a 75 percent attendance record, and are only allowed to take leave for “exigencies such as medical emergencies, participation in national or international sports events, and other serious reasons, if supported by the necessary documents/record.”
The Board has outlined the responsibilities of schools when it comes to adhering to the attendance rules. These include:
1. Keeping students and parents informed: The importance of the 75 percent attendance rule must be stressed at the beginning of the school year.
2. Following standard leave procedure: If a student takes medical leave, they must provide valid medical documentation immediately after. The same applies to other types of leaves as well. According to the circular, “leave without a written request will be considered unauthorized absence from the school.”
3. Maintaining attendance records: Attendance registers must be regularly updated and signed by the class teacher. These records must be readily available for CBSE to check at any time.
In addition to these rules, the board has also outlined procedures to be followed for students who do not meet the attendance requirement.
Schools are required to inform parents if students fall short of the required attendance. Attendance will be calculated as of January 1, and schools need to submit cases of attendance shortage, with valid documentation, to the board by January 7.
The circular (available on the CBSE website) also contains the list of documents to be submitted to review cases of low attendance. These include medical certificates (in case of medical leave), death certificate (in case of demise of a loved one), certificate issued by concerned sports authority (if the shortage of attendance is due to participation in a national sports competition), and more.
© Khaleej Times
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