Reforming Education: A Call for State-Wide Common Exam Boards

The Ministry of Education has advised seven states to transition to a common examination board for grades 10 and 12. This recommendation follows a School Education Department analysis indicating that these states represent 66% of student failures. Among the states are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Telangana.

There are currently 66 school examination boards nationwide, with three at the national level. A significant finding was that 22.17 lakh students failed Class 10 and 20.16 lakh failed Class 12 in 2024. While improved over the decade, failure rates present barriers to higher education.

A focus on integrating the National Institute of Open Schooling into these states could aid in decreasing dropouts. The analysis also highlighted gender performance trends, with girls outperforming boys in science subjects, and emphasized the need for standardized assessment processes.

(With inputs from agencies.)