CBSE Opposes 'One Nation, One Education Board' Plea In Delhi High Court; Says Child Can Better Relate To Curriculum Based On Local Context, Culture

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has objected to a petition in the Delhi High Court seeking the implementation of uniform school syllabus and education board across the country.

"The Uniform Board/Syllabus across India does not take into account the local context, culture and language. There is a national framework with flexibility for the emphasis of local resources, culture and ethos. A child can better relate to a curriculum that is more closely related to his/her life outside the school.Therefore, multiplicity of curricula and other educational resource is desirable in addition to a core common element," it said.

The CBSE said that though the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) is notified as the academic authority to frame a national curriculum as per Section 7(6) of the Right to Education Act, the States have also notified State agencies such as SCERT and State Institutes of Education(SIE) for preparing the curriculum. This is because school education is a matter in the concurrent list.

"Therefore, Stats/UTs have freedom to either adopt or adapt NCERT text books", the CBSE said. It further said that education, being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, and the majority of schools being under the jurisdiction of the State Governments, it is for the respective State/Union Territory Governments to frame syllabus, curriculum and conduct examinations for their schools. State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs) and State Education Boards either adopt or adapt NCERT's model syllabi and textbooks or develop their own syllabi and textbooks based on NCF. 

The CBSE was responding to a PIL filed by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay seeking 'One Nation-One Education Board'. The petitioner alleged, "The bitter truth is that school mafias don't want One Nation-One Education Board, coaching mafias don't want One Nation-One Syllabus and book mafias don't want NCERT books in all schools. That's why uniform education system up to 12th standard has not been implemented yet".

 Case : Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay v. Union of India WP(c) 6901/2022

Correction : The initial version of the article mistakenly stated that the affidavit was filed in the Supreme Court. The mistake was later corrected.