Kolkata-based school loses CISCE affiliation, parents agitate

Kolkata: A Kolkata-based school has lost the affiliation of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), posing uncertainty for 237 students in the secondary and higher secondary sections from appearing from the 2024 board examination.

A group of parents of these 237 students staged a massive protest demonstrations on Thursday surrounding Richard Gasper, the principal of St Augustine's Day School located the city's Ripon Street.

Although the news had spread the principal was thrashed by a couple of guardians, the police officials who reached the spot to mediate denied the event of physical manhandling of the principal.

The principal while admitting the loss of affiliation has assured the guardians that dialogues are on with the CISCE authorities so that the students are able to appear for the board examination in 2024 and they do not lose a year.

The protesting guardians alleged although the school authorities were cautioned by the CISCE authorities of the probable loss of affiliation because of the dilapidated condition of the school building premises at Ripon Street, the school authorities kept the matter a secret.

However, the principal claimed that all arrangements have been made to shift to the new school premises at AJC Bose Road also in central Kolkata and have also intimated the CISCE authorities about the change of address.

He also claimed that the affiliation has been temporarily deactivated and will be renewed soon.