Private school in Bengaluru under scrutiny for making students write SSLC exam as private candidates

The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has decided to conduct an investigation against a private school in Bengaluru, which admitted around 10 of its students to a government school and had them write the SSLC exam as private candidates this year, as they had received low marks in Class 9.

An FIR has been registered against St. Mary’s Girls’ School on the complaint lodged by parents at the High Grounds police station.

“This is a serious case and I already ordered the concerned Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) to issue a notice to the school and conduct an investigation. Legal action will be taken against the school based on the DDPI report,” K.V. Trilokchandra, Commissioner of Public Instruction told The Hindu.

Not informed

It is alleged that the school administration, without informing the students and parents or taking permission of the department, enrolled around 10 students, who had not performed well in Class 9, into the Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) school in Cleveland Town. Later, they were registered as private candidates for the SSLC exam of 2024-25.

However, since the students had written the exam as private candidates, the internal marks given by the school were not applicable, and the students failed the SSLC exam. When the school administration was questioned about this, the parents did not get a proper answer and one of them, Aruna, filed a complaint with the police in this regard. An FIR was registered on May 27, 2025.

Speaking to The Hindu, Ms. Aruna said, “My daughter was studying in St. Mary’s Girls School from class 4. Last year, I paid a total of ₹20,700 fee for class 10. But without informing us and without our consent, she was enrolled in a BBMP school and registered as a private candidate for the SSLC exam. My daughter failed because internal marks were not given. Even the Block Education Officer (BEO) did not respond to our problem,” she alleged.

‘Will move court’

Ms. Aruna said that a month had passed since an FIR was filed, but there has been no progress in the investigation. “The police have not even recorded my statement yet. If my daughter does not get justice, I will move the court against the school, the police and the DSEL,” she warned.