Schools in Maharashtra Told to Drop Misleading “Global” or “International” Labels
Mumbai, 20th December 2025: The Maharashtra state government has announced a review of school names across the state that may mislead parents and students by suggesting international affiliations or curricula. The move follows concerns raised by the School Education Department regarding the misuse of terms such as “international” and “global” by institutions that do not offer international programs.
According to a circular issued by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education on December 15, several schools have been using such terms in their names despite being affiliated with state boards or offering only local curricula. “Some schools are registered under the state board but include ‘CBSE’ or ‘International’ in their names. Similarly, schools approved as Marathi-medium are claiming to be English-medium,” the circular noted. It added that the terms “global” and “international” should only be used by schools with branches overseas or those affiliated with internationally recognized boards.
The issue surfaced during a state-level review meeting on December 10, where proposals for approval and upgradation of self-financed schools were scrutinized. Officials observed that misleading school names could create confusion among parents and students and decided that such institutions should be instructed to revise their names.
Shriram Panzade, Joint Director of School Education, said, “Existing schools with names that suggest international exposure will also be reviewed. Unless a school has branches in two or more countries, it cannot call itself ‘global’.”
He further clarified, “Schools not affiliated with Cambridge International Education or the International Baccalaureate (IB) should not use the word ‘international’ in their names.”
The department has already identified 11 newly proposed schools across Maharashtra that have used “international” in their names, highlighting the need for stricter regulation.
The state’s initiative is aimed at ensuring transparency and protecting parents and students from being misled by school branding that does not reflect the actual curriculum or global affiliation.
