Central Board of Secondary Education

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national-level school education board that sets academic and examination requirements for schools affiliated with it. Its mandate combines affiliation, curriculum, assessment and capacity-building functions to promote consistent standards in school education.

Institutional position and reach

CBSE is an autonomous organisation under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education. Its academic and examination rules apply to CBSE-affiliated schools, rather than to every school in India.

Core academic and examination mandate

• CBSE prescribes the curriculum, subjects, syllabi and assessment schemes for its affiliated schools.
• It conducts public examinations at the end of Classes X and XII and issues examination documents to candidates.
• It affiliates schools under prescribed conditions and monitors compliance with its Affiliation Bye-Laws and academic requirements.
• It undertakes examination and evaluation reforms intended to improve the reliability and educational value of assessment.
• It supports teacher and school-leader capacity through training and promotes innovations in teaching, learning and assessment.

Nature and limits of its role

Affiliation does not make CBSE the manager of a school. The school management remains responsible for administration, staffing, infrastructure, safety and compliance with applicable laws, while CBSE enforces conditions connected with affiliation and board examinations. NCERT is a separate institution that develops national curriculum frameworks, textbooks and educational research resources.

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