CBSE Caps Class Size at 45 Students per Section with No Exceptions

Previously, CBSE allowed up to 45 students per section in exceptional situations—such as mid-session transfers, students repeating a year (Essential Repeat category),etc.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a strict directive stating that no CBSE-affiliated school may enrol more than 45 students in any class section, effectively ending previous flexibility beyond the limit. Any exceptions beyond this ceiling are no longer permitted under any circumstances

Previously, CBSE allowed up to 45 students per section in exceptional situations—such as mid-session transfers, students repeating a year (Essential Repeat category), severe medical cases, hostel-to-day scholar transitions, or readmissions for academic improvement. However, the new Circular has rescinded this leniency: the 45-student cap is now the absolute maximum per section from Classes I to XII

Under the earlier arrangement, schools were required to seek approval on a case-by-case basis from the regional office for such additional admissions, while maintaining proper documentation in both registers and portals like CBSE’s OASIS and SARAS.

The revised circular reinforces that even exceptional cases cannot exceed 45 students, and all admissions beyond 40 must be fully documented and justified as per policy, with no further bypasses permitted.

CBSE has also affirmed that classrooms housing more than 40 students must have a minimum area of 500 square feet, with a built-up floor area of at least one square metre per student, in line with Clause 4.8 of its 2018 Affiliation Bye‑Laws. Schools are advised to upgrade infrastructure or increase classroom capacity to eventually comply with the long-term standard of 40 students per section, which must be reinstated once circumstances normalize.

School administrators across the country are now required to ensure strict compliance with the updated norms. CBSE may take action against schools that violate this limit during inspection. The board emphasized that the relaxed cap was always meant as a temporary, transitional arrangement valid through the 2025–26 academic year, with an expectation to return to the ideal of 40 students per section in due course.