Centre Pushes for Common Board in 7 States After Poor Class 10 & 12 Outcomes Identified

In a major education policy advisory, the Ministry of Education has recommended seven states—Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Manipur, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal—to adopt a common board for Classes 10 and 12, following a detailed analysis that linked these states to 66% of all student failures in 2024.

The proposal comes as part of efforts to standardize school education and improve learning outcomes nationwide.

Why the Move?

According to the analysis by the School Education Department, out of 22.17 lakh students who failed Class 10 and 20.16 lakh who failed Class 12 in 2024, the majority belonged to these seven states.

“There is a clear link between fragmented board systems and poor academic outcomes,” said Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of School Education. “A common board ensures uniform assessment, curriculum, and transition pathways — it’s essential for the ease of schooling.”

Current Board Landscape in India

India currently has 66 school boards:

3 national boards

63 state-level boards (including 12 open school boards)

Top 33 boards account for 97% of student enrollment, while the rest cover only 3%

This fragmentation leads to inconsistencies in curriculum, exam difficulty, and learning outcomes.

Open School Boards Show Poor Results

Open school systems performed the worst:

Only 54% passed Class 10, and 57% passed Class 12

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has been advised to expand its outreach beyond its current strongholds in Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan to states with higher failure rates.

Girls Surpass Boys in Science

In a significant shift, more girls passed science than arts in 2024:

28 lakh girls cleared science, overtaking 27.2 lakh in arts

This trend reversed previous patterns, up from 23.3 lakh science passes in 2022

Language-Based Performance Gaps

Students writing exams in Odia and Malayalam performed better than those in Kannada, Telugu, and Assamese, pointing to disparities based on medium of instruction.

States with integrated board systems, such as:

Kerala (99.96% pass rate)

Odisha

Manipur achieved pass rates exceeding 97%, suggesting the benefits of a unified system.

Central Schools Show Strong Results

Students from Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) and Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) showed strong academic outcomes:

72% of NV students cleared NEET-UG

Many also succeeded in engineering entrance exams, indicating effective central education models

Need for Broader System Reforms

Kumar stressed the need for:

Standardized assessments and curriculum

Better paper-setting practices

Improved promotion and transition systems

Stronger parental engagement

Expansion of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan support to open school students