Dharamshala: In a bid to crack down on the widespread malpractice of dummy admissions, the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education has announced surprise inspections of private educational institutions affiliated to it. The decision comes amid a flood of complaints revealing a troubling nexus between coaching centres and private schools, especially in major education hubs like Shimla, Hamirpur, and other towns across the state.
According to sources in the Board, dummy admission has long been an open secret — a student is formally enrolled in a school on paper but spends the entire academic year attending a coaching centre elsewhere, often with the school’s tacit approval. While this enables students to focus solely on competitive exam preparation, it undermines the purpose of regular schooling and violates the rules laid down by the education authorities.
“This is not a new issue. Dummy admissions have been going on for years. What was once covert has now turned into a full-blown menace,” said a senior education official. “Many reputed coaching centres in Shimla, Hamirpur, and other areas are flourishing on this very model.”
The Himachal Pradesh School Education Board has taken serious note of these complaints, many of which were received via telephone and other direct means at the Board office. In response, the Board has decided that any school found involved in dummy enrolments during surprise inspections will face immediate cancellation of affiliation under the existing provisions of the Affiliation Regulation.
Board Secretary Dr. Major Vishal Sharma has urged all private schools to strictly adhere to the rules. “No institution should indulge in dummy admissions. Any school violating affiliation norms will face swift and strict action,” he said. He also called on schools to focus on genuine education and not function merely as paper entities in the service of coaching businesses.
This malpractice is not limited to Himachal Pradesh alone. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also begun investigating similar cases across India. Schools found guilty of supporting dummy admissions face suspension or cancellation of affiliation, indicating a larger effort to restore integrity in the education system.
The Himachal Board’s move has been welcomed by many educationists who argue that dummy admissions erode the value of schooling and create inequality. While some parents and students see it as a shortcut to competitive success, critics say it leaves students without holistic development and reduces education to exam performance alone.
The Board plans to intensify inspections in the coming weeks and take immediate action wherever violations are found. The crackdown signals a shift towards greater accountability and transparency in school operations, especially in the shadow of the growing commercialisation of education.
