Ahmedabad: Parents considering “dummy schools” to facilitate full-time NEET or JEE coaching for their wards may take note: Gujarat’s state education board has begun cracking down on schools suspected of enrolling students on paper while they largely stay away from classrooms, a practice that can put a student’s academic standing at risk.
The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) recently initiated action against three schools after complaints of “dummy schooling” in Ahmedabad. Surprise checks revealed that only about 30% of enrolled students were present in classrooms, exposing a major gap.
The state board has issued show-cause notices to three schools — SS Divine School, Science City, Gota; Divine School, Naroda; and Gayatri Vidyalaya, Naroda — seeking an explanation as to why their affiliation with the board should not be cancelled in the wake of irregularities found during inspections.
“The board acted upon complaints of dummy schooling in the three schools. The number of Class 11 and 12 students present in school classrooms could be counted on fingertips, exposing a major gap between the number of students enrolled and those present. We have issued a show-cause notice to school authorities seeking an explanation, and the matter will be heard before the executive committee of the board,” GSHSEB Secretary Rakesh Vyas said.
It is widely known in Gujarat that many students preparing for competitive entrance exams for medical and engineering admissions enrol in “dummy schools” so they can study full-time at NEET and JEE coaching centres. Schools benefit by enrolling students who attend mainly practical sessions but pay full fees, ranging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 1.75 lakh depending on the school. Many parents agree to the arrangement, believing it helps students focus on entrance exam preparation. This practice, which began about a decade ago, has increasingly become a common route for students aiming for professional courses.
The practice first faced major scrutiny last year when, in March 2025, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) disaffiliated 14 schools in Gujarat, including four in Ahmedabad, over compliance issues related to non-attending enrolments. Some affiliations were later restored.
Earlier, the GSHSEB also ordered a crackdown after an educationist in the state flagged dummy school practices in state-board schools. The state education department directed district education officers to conduct surprise checks, though authorities reported finding no schools with non-attending students at the time.
“This time, the state board independently acted on complaints of dummy schooling and has taken action. Dummy schools are not an answer to the highly competitive entrance exam culture in education, and this needs to be amended before the institution of schooling comes crumbling down,” said an educationist and former GSHSEB member.
