The ICSE board has relaxed its norm on minimum campus size, which will allow 20-odd schools with more than 24,000 students in and around Calcutta to keep functioning.

The schools had been affiliated to the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations on a temporary basis before the norm making a campus on at least 2 acres mandatory came into effect in 2006.

For permanent affiliation, the schools need a no-objection certificate from the state government. The Bengal government had refused the schools the tag until they satisfied the land clause. “We have been running from pillar to post for a permanent NOC since 2009. We are happy that the council has finally amended its policy,” said the principal of one of the schools.

Following complaints by schools, the council’s executive committee met in Delhi in October and decided to relax the norm. The general body confirmed the decision last month.

“We have conveyed our decision to the state government and requested it to issue the NOCs to the schools,” said Gerry Arathoon, the additional secretary and officiating chief executive of the council. A school education department official said the government had not received the council’s letter.

“Lack of permanent affiliation had been threatening the existence of some schools,” said Nabarun Dey, the general secretary of the Association of Heads of ICSE Schools.