What's New

EQUIVALENCE AMONG SCHOOL BOARDS IN INDIA

Why in the news?

• PARAKH, under NCERT, submitted an ‘equivalence’ report to the Ministry of Education to standardize academic standards across all school boards in India.
• The report provides recommendations on aligning academic standards among the 69 different school boards, including state boards, CBSE, ICSE, and others.

Source: value added

What Does Equivalence Across School Boards Mean?

• India’s 69 school boards differ in curricula, examinations, structure, and functioning, leading to perceptions of some being “better” than others.
• The report aims to standardize administration, curriculum, assessment, inclusiveness, and infrastructure across all boards, ensuring equal and benchmarked facilities for all students.

What Are the Report’s Recommendations?

• Count performance in classes 9-11 towards final class 12 marks, with specified weightages for each class.
• Implement credit-based assessments and include holistic progress evaluations.
• Develop trained “professional paper setters” for standardizing question papers for classes 9-12.
• Create question banks and blueprints for question papers in classes 9-12.
• Finalize school affiliation guidelines and conduct periodic reviews, granting affiliations for a maximum of three years.
• Incorporate digital literacy, including coding and cybersecurity training, adhering to the National Curriculum Framework for School Education.

How Was the Report Prepared?

• PARAKH assessed 32 boards, excluding Sanskrit, madrasa, and technical boards, using a comprehensive questionnaire.
• The analysis included a review of two years’ worth of question papers and consultations with state boards, with further conferences scheduled in August.