Use smartcards in canteens: CBSE advises schools

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has advised schools to introduce smart cards to inculcate the habit of cashless transaction among students. The smart cards should be used in canteens and tuck-shops.

This comes days after CBSE asked schools to go cashless, including tuition fees and teachers' salary. Schools have also been asked to promote digital payment, including asking students to become digital ambassadors at home as well as with outsiders.

Earlier, CBSE asked schools to go completely cashless through a circular that stated staff payments should be made through bank transfer and school fees should be only in "non-cash" mode.

Going forward, CBSE will allow e-wallets such as SBI Buddy and PayTm for payment of fees of competitive exams, doing away with the current challan payment system from January. Payments will be accepted via internet banking, debit or credit cards.

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan has also decided to help students go cashless and educate various sections of society.