Only national awardee principals can continue after 60: CBSE

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has amended its bylaws to impose restrictions on family-owned schools that promote their kin as principals.

Amending the laws to make changes regarding superannuation, only national awardee principals will be eligible to continue at their post after the age of 60 and that too only with prior approval of CBSE.

Until now, even state and CBSE awardees were being allowed to continue as principals till the age of 65, and that too without any intervention from CBSE.

This is the second change CBSE has made in the last one month to control recruitment of principals. Though CBSE did not give any reason for the change, sources said it was part of the central board's ongoing drive against family-owned schools that promote their kin as principals. The other decision includes changes in the principal selection committee to include CBSE plus state government nominees. This effectively ended the school managements' monopoly on principal hiring.

CBSE has made it clear that after the age of 60, principals can get an extension of only two more years. The board's secretary Joseph Emmanuel has written to schools saying that the candidate "may be considered for a further extension of service for two years after attaining the age of superannuation subject to meritorious service, impeccable character, sound health, good leadership, and outstanding results throughout". While the board leaves a window open for the principal to get an extension, it as mandated that such a proposal will again have to be routed to it.