ASSEB Non-Affiliated Private Schools Left in the Lurch

30th April, Guwahati: In a major development that has sent shockwaves across the education sector in Assam, several private schools not affiliated with the Assam State Secondary Education Board (ASSEB) are facing an unprecedented crisis following a recent directive from the state’s Education Department.

The directive, issued to heads of government and provincialised schools through their respective inspectors, clearly states that students from non-affiliated private institutions should not be registered in Classes IX and XI for board examinations. This decision effectively bars these students from appearing in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) and Higher Secondary (HS) final examinations—two of the most crucial milestones in a student’s academic journey.

Unauthorised Registration Practice Comes to an End

For years, it had become common practice for several non-affiliated private schools in Assam to enrol their Class IX and XI students in government or provincialised institutions. This loophole allowed such students to take board exams under the guise of being students of affiliated institutions. The Education Department’s letter calls this out as a form of misrepresentation, stating that these learners are “not actual attendees” and are thus “fake students” in the official records of the registering schools.

The circular further instructs:

“You are, hereby, instructed not to register any outside students who are not bona fide and regular students of your schools.”

Students and Guardians Left in Limbo

The fallout of this directive is being felt most acutely by students and guardians, many of whom now find themselves without any immediate solution. Thousands of students studying in these non-affiliated institutions are now staring at the possibility of losing a crucial academic year. Meanwhile, their guardians, who enrolled them with the hope of quality education, have been caught completely off guard.

Education observers have pointed to the unchecked mushrooming of private schools across Assam as a root cause of the problem. These schools, many of which operate without affiliation or a valid UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education) code, often lure unsuspecting parents with promises of quality infrastructure and teaching.

Poor Academic Records Exposed

According to insiders in the education department, another major concern prompting this crackdown was the declining performance metrics of government and provincialised schools. Officials believe that the poor pass percentages in HSLC and HS exams are partly due to the registration of students from these non-affiliated private schools, who often underperform academically. This practice skews the academic profile of affiliated institutions and hampers accurate performance assessment.

Lack of Monitoring Mechanism

One glaring revelation from this entire episode is the absence of an effective state mechanism to monitor and regulate the rapid growth of private schools in Assam. Without proper oversight, these institutions have been operating in a grey area for far too long.

As the new academic session approaches, uncertainty looms large for affected students. Education advocates and civil society groups are urging the government to offer a transitional arrangement or an alternative solution that safeguards the academic future of these children while maintaining accountability and standards.

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