CBSE is one of the eminent and widely recognized boards of school education in India. Although CBSE got its present name in 1952, its origin can be traced back to 1921 when the U.P Board of High school and Secondary Education was set up. The importance of CBSE lies in its effort to impart a common education in this land of diverse culture and heritage called India. Thus, it has successfully evolved a common standard for all across the country. Its respect has grown over the years as it is trying to make education relevant to the fast changing world while not compromising on the quality of education in India. One of the finest examples is the introduction of the financial market Management courses which have started from the 2008 academic year

The CBSE prepares the syllabus for Class 9 to Class 12 in schools affiliated with it.It conducts two major examinations every year, the All India Secondary School Examination (AISSE) for Class 10 and the All India Senior School Certificate Examination (AISSCE) for Class 12, which is a school-leaving examination. Many private schools within and outside India are affiliated to CBSE. It also prescribes the syllabi for these examinations, whose scores are necessary to gain admission in higher study institues. The medium for education prescribed by CBSE is either English or Hindi. CBSE All India Senior School Certificate Examination for Class 12 is widely recognised internationally for direct admission to university undergraduate courses

There are a total of 9,689 schools from India and outside India affiliated to CBSE. As a result of the reconstruction, the Delhi Board of Secondary Education was merged with the Central Board and all the educational institutions recognised by the Delhi Board also became a part of the Central Board. Subsequently, all the schools located in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and the state of Sikkim now have affiliation with the Board. The Board has grown from a group of 309 schools in 1962 to 5119 schools as on 25.9.98, which include 784 kendriya Vidyalayas, 1381 Government Schools, 2486 Independent Schools, 355 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and 13 Adhoc Schools. There are also Indian schools in the Middle East and Southeast Asia that are affiliated to it.

CBSE also conducts the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) which is a common entrance examination conducted on all-India basis for admission to engineering and architecture/planning programmes in the country. Similarly Pre-medical and Pre-dental Tests AIPMT (PMT/PDT) are conducted for medical and dental colleges.

The CBSE focuses to affiliate institutions for the purpose of examination and raise the academic standards of the country.The prime focus of the Board is on bringing innovations in teaching-learning methodologies by devising students friendly and students centered paradigms. Further in enhancing skill learning by adding job-oriented and job-linked inputs.

The Central Board of Secondary Education has fulfilled this national obligation by providing a uniform curriculum with a flexible scheme of studies suitable to the needs of each and every student irrespective of the fact whether it is a government run school or private school. Notwithstanding the geographical variations, the schools and students under CBSE enjoy and share common privileges as regards the curriculum, examinations and academic innovations.

By: Rohit Kumar Mehra