Gurgaon School's Failed Attempt to 'Adjust' Students Exposes CBSE Affiliation Scam
Educrest International School in Gurgaon has come under intense scrutiny after its botched effort to "adjust" 11 Class 10 students into other institutions, following its failure to secure their CBSE admit cards. This debacle has left the children unable to sit for the crucial CBSE board examinations, sparking legal action and a police investigation.
Chaotic Transfers and Missed Exams
According to police reports, Educrest first attempted to enrol the students in a school located in Delhi. However, this plan collapsed when it was discovered that the Delhi school had itself lost its CBSE affiliation, rendering the transfer impossible. Undeterred, the school then tried to shift the students to an institution in Palwal. Unfortunately, this second effort also failed as the Palwal school could not complete the enrolment process in time or register the students for the CBSE Class 10 examinations.
With the exam window rapidly closing, all 11 students were ultimately unable to write their CBSE papers. In a desperate move, nine of the 11 parents approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court intervened, allowing these children to write the Haryana Board papers instead. Consequently, the students, who had studied the CBSE syllabus throughout the academic year, now face the challenge of taking state board exams.
Police Probe and Untraceable Owner
The owner of Educrest International School, Vinay Kataria, is currently untraceable and has not cooperated with the investigation despite receiving multiple notices. A police officer stated, "We will arrest him soon. Then, a detailed probe will be conducted to ascertain where the other students took admissions or what exactly happened." The investigation aims to uncover the full extent of the school's mismanagement.
Sources reveal that Educrest had applied for CBSE affiliation for classes 9 and 10 approximately two years ago, but the district education officer rejected the application. The school reapplied and has now secured CBSE affiliation effective from April 1, meaning it holds registration for the upcoming session. However, police have yet to fully examine the school's records, as personnel are also deployed for board exam security duties.
Financial Irregularities and Legal Action
Police are still ascertaining the exact fee details, but sources indicate that students were charged around Rs 5,000 per month. Despite lacking proper CBSE affiliation, Educrest collected fees in advance and relied on informal arrangements with CBSE-affiliated schools to obtain admit cards—a practice that has now backfired spectacularly.
On February 18, an FIR was registered at the Sector-9A police station against chairperson Vinay Kataria, principal Riddhima Kataria, vice-principal Nidhi Batra, and coordinator Sonia. They face charges of cheating and making false claims regarding CBSE affiliation. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with this case.
This incident highlights severe lapses in educational governance and raises urgent questions about the oversight of private schools in Gurgaon. The affected students and their families await justice as authorities continue their probe into this distressing episode.
