New Delhi: The future of the Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE) appears uncertain with a new circular suggesting that students enrolled in Schools of Specialised Excellence (SOSE)—instituted by AAP govt under DBSE—may now be shifted back to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
According to a circular issued on April 22 by SOSE, IP Extension, “aptitude test for the admission in Class IX will be conducted very shortly for which a detailed guideline will be issued separately and the selected students will be enrolled under CBSE.”
This move indicates a possible rollback of DBSE, which was launched in 2021 as a joint venture with the International Baccalaureate to promote skill-based education. Over the past three years, Delhi govt converted many govt schools into SOSE institutions, specialising in areas such as STEM, humanities, 21st-century skills, armed forces training, and performing and visual arts.
These specialised schools were often run on the premises of existing CBSE-affiliated schools. With the transition of students back to CBSE, there is growing speculation that both DBSE and the SOSE model may be phased out, and the schools may revert to their original structures.
While the order does not explicitly state that DBSE will be shut down, the shifting of students back to CBSE raises serious questions about the board’s continuity.
The TOI reached out to the director, Directorate of Education, Veditha Reddy, for clarification on the status of DBSE and SOSEs but did not receive a response. The regional director of SOSE, KS Upadhyay, also declined to comment on the development. A request seeking comment from Delhi education minister Ashish Sood also did not elicit any response.
The aptitude test schedule and new admission guidelines are expected to be announced soon, the order stated.