SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Education | National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)
The Government of India, through a notification published in the e-Gazette on 6 September 2025, has shifted the authority for granting equivalence of Class 10 (Secondary) and Class 12 (Senior Secondary) certificates awarded by various school boards to NCERT, via its PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development). This supersedes the earlier arrangement (since November 2021) where the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) held that responsibility.
Equivalence granted by NCERT will be valid nationwide, ensuring smoother recognition of certificates for student mobility, admissions, and government recruitment. This move strengthens Indiaβs education governance by placing a core function under an institution created by NEP 2020.
By entrusting equivalence to NCERT (PARAKH), the government aims to reduce fragmentation across boards and standardize recognition processes. This has implications for fairness in access, transparency in assessments, and improved credibility of school-leaving examinations, supporting initiatives like Samagra Shiksha and RTE.
What is equivalence in school certificates? β A formal recognition that a certificate from one board is comparable to that of another, so students can move across systems or use them for admissions and jobs without disadvantage. In India, this typically covers CBSE, CISCE (ICSE/ISC), NIOS, and state boards.
What is PARAKH? β The National Assessment Centre under NCERT, set up under NEP 2020 to ensure standardisation, fairness, and quality in assessment and equivalence across school boards.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
Could entrusting equivalence to NCERT through PARAKH help build national benchmarks for assessment quality and reduce disparities between state and national boards?
Follow the full news here: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2171852