How to open a CBSE, ICSE or IB School in India?

For a country to be called as developed, all people must be civilized. The first step to make it possible is through education so that it eradicates the ignorance of people leading towards development of a nation.

Running a school is considered a not-for-profit venture, but you just need to look around to see that the business opportunity is huge. According to an estimate by an NGO active in the field of education, there are more than 14 lakh children in Delhi alone who seek admission every year in various classes

Schools cannot be set up by private entities. They have to be run by a society formed under the Societies Act of 1860, or a trust under Public Trust Act as existent in different states, or by forming a company under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956. In other words, a school has to be set up strictly as a non-profit business. At least that is the theory.

However, opening a CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE or STATE Syllabus school anywhere in India demands a lot of commitment, endurance and a vision. However, the unending demand for more schools has paved way for budding entrepreneurs to start their own venture.

Establishing a CBSE school guarantees quality education and full support of the CBSE Board. Setting a school not just involves constructions of physical infrastructure, building classrooms and labs etc. It also includes attainment of the licenses and approvals from the concerned authorities, acceptance from the departments

The Procedure to Open a CBSE School in India is as follows:

Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE) affiliation is one of the oldest and the most popular examination boards of India. It supports various schools in imparting knowledge and maintaining uniform standards. Besides this, it is a self-financing body which is responsible for developing the curriculum for schools that are affiliated to it. Moreover, the board has established certain norms that need to be followed by these schools.

Finance/capital: Investment is the first prerequisite for opening a school anywhere in India. This investment should accommodate all the necessary infrastructure & furniture, teaching & sports equipment, laboratory apparatuses, stationary etc. Typically, an investment of around 2 to 3 Crores is required. This can be arranged by approaching financial institutions or banks that provide loans for this purpose.

Investments required for a school depend on two vital components?cost of land, which depends on where you want to start your school, and whether it will be residential or non-residential. ?The key is to keep investments as low as possible. One should start with the bare minimum and keep on adding with time.Schools set up their entire infrastructure in stages.

Registration: Registration of the school committee under a Trust/Society is the next important step. It is essential to get a proper guidance related to all the rules & regulations for the proper running of the school.

Once the governing entity, whether a company, trust, or society, comes into existence, it will have to look for land. There are two possibilities?one, if the society or trust has a land of its own, or, second, when the governing entity decides to buy a land for the proposed school. Buying land from the government requires permission in the form of a no-objection certificate from the Department of Education of the concerned state. The no-objection certificate, called Essentiality Certificate (EC), certifies the requirement of a school in a particular area. The logic behind the practice is to make sure no two schools compete with each other and one becomes redundant.

One can apply to the concerned municipal corporation for land for the school with the EC. Land is supposed to be allotted to the governing entity at subsidized rates is usually allotted through auction.

Site & land: The minimum land area for opening a CBSE school in a metropolitan city with a population exceeding 25 lakhs is approximately 1 acre which can further vary in accordance with the type of school and the location you choose. The land requirement is almost the same in hilly areas also. However, in all the other places, the land area should not be less than 2 acres. The land can either be leased (with a rental agreement of minimum 30 years) or can be your own property. Further, the site chosen should be such that it provides easy accessibility from all modes of transport.

Procurement of NOC: The NOC (NO-Objection Certificate) needs to be obtained from the government of the state where you are planning to open a CBSE school because then only you will be able to start the construction of your school.

Construction: On one part of the land, a proper school building should be constructed depending upon the number of students to be accommodated in the school. Besides this, a playground big enough to accommodate all the necessary sports and Extra-curricular facilities should be maintained on the remaining part of the land.

CBSE affiliation: For obtaining CBSE affiliation, a list of documents namely, the NOC obtained from state government, approval from the Municipal Corporation of the state and clearance from the Health department needs to be submitted to the board authority.

Recruitment: Recruiting a qualified and experienced staff is essential to create & maintain excellent education system in the school.

Marketing and Promotion: Finally, marketing and advertising your school in the neighbouring areas is important for the successful establishment of your school. This will further help you to attract more number of admissions.

A number of schools in North India are affiliated to CBSE board of education because CBSE is one of the most trusted boards of India which aims at providing quality education to students. However, opening a CBSE school is not just about setting up the infrastructure but also involves attainment of permissions at various levels. So, instead of opening school on your own it is always advised to take professional help to save your valuable time, energy and investment.

If you are interested to start/Manage a school, college, university, vocational training institutes anywhere in India? We will help you achieve that.

You may contact Ms Nupur on +91 9981506149 or email us at info@strategum.in