Two officials of Kochi school arrested after their Class 10 students miss board exams due to lack of CBSE affiliation

Kochi : Two officials of a city school have been arrested after Class X students could not write their Board exams on Monday since the institution allegedly lacked CBSE affiliation.

Police said the manager of Arooja Little Star School at Thoppumpady area and her husband have been arrested and booked under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and launched an investigation.

They said 29 class X students came to know only last week that they could not write the exam as their school was not affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education.

The school officials allegedly did not inform the students and parents about the non-recognition.

Police said the school in earlier years used to register class X students in other CBSE-recognised schools in the neighbourhood, but it did not materalise this year due to some reasons.

Anxious parents then approached the authorities, seeking their help in getting their children registered for the Class X examinations, but they were helpless, sources said.

This morning, the parents reached the school, hoping that some arrangements would have been made for their wards to write the exam, but were left disappointed.

Following this, they filed a complaint with police.

Student and youth outfits of the CPI(M) and Youth Congress held a protest march to the school, demanding action against the school management.

Ernakulam District Collector S Suhas urged parents to check the background of educational institutions, particularly schools which claimed to be affiliated with CBSE, before enrolling their children in them.