While its roots date back to 1929, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national-level board of education in India under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, that was officially reconstituted on 1 July 1962. Headquartered in New Delhi, the CBSE oversees more than 27,000 schools in India and 240 schools in 28 countries, including Singapore, Nigeria, Japan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries.
All the schools affiliated to CBSE follow the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) curriculum. CBSE conducts the major national-level exams such as the Class 10 and Class 12 board exams, along with competitive exams including the JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) and NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test).
History of CBSE
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national-level board of education in India that was established on 1 July 1962. But do you know the old name of CBSE? The old name of CBSE was the Board of High School and Intermediate Education Rajputana. The Board was reconstituted and officially came to be known as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in 1952.
Back in 1917-19, when the Sadler Commission recommended the creation of Boards of Secondary Education, the first education board to be set up in India was the United Provinces Board of High School and Intermediate Education in 1921. Later, upon the suggestion of the Indian government to set up a joint board, it was renamed the Board of High School and Intermediate Education Rajputana, which later came to be known as CBSE.
When did the CBSE conduct the first board exam?
Under the original framework of the 'Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Rajputana', the Board conducted its first High School and intermediate examinations in 1930. Back then it operated with only 70 recognised high schools and 12 intermediate colleges.
Its affliations grew from 70 high schools and 12 intermediate colleges in 1930 to 124 high schools and 20 colleges by 1940, and to 201 high schools and 42 colleges by 1947. Similarly, the number of examinees rose from 3.091 in 1930 to 6,412 in 1940. In 1947, the number of examinees stood at 13,770.
Did you know? The first batch of candidates from Andaman and Nicobar Islands took examinations in 1966.
Later in 1977, the CBSE conducted its first all-India Secondary School Examination (Class 10). And 1979, the Board conducted its first All India Senior School Certificate Examination (Class 12).