CBSE Issues New Guidelines Regarding Class Strength for All Affiliated Schools - Key Details

In a recent move aimed at accommodating students facing unavoidable situations, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially allowed affiliated schools to enrol up to 45 students per section across Classes 1 to 12 — up from the standard cap of 40. However, the board has clearly stated that no section may exceed 45 students under any circumstances.

The flexibility, as per the new CBSE guidelines, is intended for exceptional scenarios, such as mid-session transfers due to parents’ relocation in defence services, government jobs, PSUs, or the private sector. The exemption also applies to students falling under the essential repeat category, those suffering from critical medical conditions, students moving from hostels, or those seeking readmission to improve academic performance.

For Classes 9 to 12, schools must record the justification for admitting students beyond 40 at the time of registration on the CBSE portal and maintain it in the admission and withdrawal register. For Classes 1 to 8, the reason must be similarly documented and uploaded to the OASIS portal, the board’s online affiliation system.

Despite the leeway, CBSE has reinforced that the upper limit remains 45 students per section, contingent upon infrastructure norms. Each classroom must have a minimum of 500 square feet and should provide one square metre of built-up area per student, in line with Clause 4.8 of the Affiliation Bye-Laws, 2018.

This development builds on CBSE’s earlier circulars, dated August 2, 2023, and May 31, 2024, which introduced and clarified temporary relaxations in section size due to the practical challenges faced by schools during the academic sessions 2023-24 to 2025-26. However, the board has advised schools to gradually return to the 40-student norm by enhancing infrastructure and managing intake in lower classes, to uphold quality education standards.