CBSE issues fresh guidelines on class strength; allows up to 45 students per section in special cases

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has once again permitted affiliated schools to enrol up to 45 students in a section, instead of the prescribed 40, under specific circumstances. This relaxation, applicable to Classes 1 to 12, is aimed at addressing cases where accommodating additional students becomes unavoidable.

The exemption will apply in cases such as transfer of parents, especially those in defence services, central government jobs, PSUs or the private sector. It also covers students in the essential repeat category, those with critical medical conditions, students shifting from hostels and those seeking admission to improve performance.

Following continued requests from schools, the board has formally issued fresh guidelines allowing them to admit up to 45 students per section. According to the new guidelines, schools can admit more than 40 students per section only in exceptional cases.

For Classes 9 to 12, the reason should be recorded at the time of student registration on the CBSE portal and also entered in the admission and withdrawal register. For Classes 1 to 8, the reason should be documented in the admission and withdrawal register. In all applicable cases, the details should also be uploaded to the OASIS portal.

CBSE: No school exceed 45 students per section

However, the board has categorically stated that no school will be allowed to admit more than 45 students per section under any circumstances. “ No school shall admit students over and above 45 students per section, under any circumstances,” the official notice said.

“The school shall take admission up to maximum limit of 45 students, provided the classroom size is not less than 500 sq feet. The school shall ensure the availability of one square meter Built-up floor area per child in the classrooms as per Clause 4.8 of the Affiliation Bye Laws-2018 of the Board in letter and spirit,” it further said.

CBSE has urged schools to make efforts to improve their infrastructure and construct additional classrooms wherever feasible so that the standard student strength of 40 per section can be restored in the long run without compromising learning outcomes.

Also read CBSE Class 12 revaluation, verification results 2025 out at results.cbse.nic.in

What earlier CBSE guidelines say about class size?

The board first introduced this flexibility through a circular dated August 2, 2023, allowing the increased student limit from 40 to 45 for the academic sessions 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26. Schools were expected to gradually bring the class size back in line with the norms by regulating admissions in the lower classes.

On May 31, 2024, the board further clarified that schools could exceed the 40-student limit in cases where children are admitted mid-session due to parental transfers or fall under the essential repeat category. Such cases, however, were to be approved individually by the regional office.