Indian State Boards explained, for parents

Every Indian state and union territory constitutionally runs its own school education system. In practice, almost all divide that work across three types of body, each doing something different.

• A curriculum and academic body – usually called a State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), though some states use different names for the same function. It writes the syllabus, curriculum framework and learning outcomes, and trains teachers.
• A textbook board – prints and distributes the books that accompany the syllabus, often free or subsidised in government schools.
• An examination board – conducts the Class 10 and Class 12 public examinations and issues certificates needed for further study.

We have documented this pattern fully for Karnataka, where the three bodies are DSERT, the Karnataka Textbook Society and KSEAB. See the Karnataka State Board page for how this works in practice, including where the pattern becomes more complex (KSEAB's role in some primary and middle assessments has changed multiple times in recent years). Use Karnataka as a worked example of the pattern, not proof that every state's bodies are named or organised identically—they are not, and we do not claim to know each state's current specifics.

NCERT is not itself a board—state or national. See the NCERT page for its actual role. What matters here is that NCERT produces national curriculum frameworks: most recently NCF-FS 2022 (Foundational Stage) and NCF-SE 2023 (School Education), developed under the National Education Policy 2020.

States and boards can use these frameworks as reference when designing their own syllabus, textbooks and assessments—they are guidance, not legally binding. In practice, many states gradually align their curriculum with the national framework's stages, competencies and assessment approach while still publishing their own textbooks and running their own board exams. How closely any specific state has adopted this, and on what timeline, varies. For precise detail on your state, check directly with your state's SCERT or equivalent department.

One key point: even where a state's curriculum follows NCERT's framework, the textbooks, the class where subjects split, and which board runs the Class 10/12 exams remain that state's own. Curriculum alignment does not mean using the same board.

Beyond Karnataka, most major Indian states operate their own boards: Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh among them. That list is representative, not complete. Each state runs its own curriculum body, publishes its own textbooks and conducts its own Class 10 and Class 12 examinations.

We have not researched each state's current textbook names, syllabus details and language policies to the standard this site maintains before making specific claims. Rather than guess at details that sound plausible but lack reliable sources, we say this directly. Our detailed coverage currently extends to three states at the same depth as the Karnataka page: Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. If your child is in one of these, that is where to begin.

If your state is not one of the three, this page serves as a landscape overview rather than a substitute for official sources. Your state's SCERT-equivalent department or official education portal is where to find the current subjects, textbook titles and language requirements. What remains constant wherever your child studies: we work from her actual textbook, not from a generic "state board syllabus" that may differ from what she is using.

Two structural points matter across the country and are separate from state-specific details.

Teaching medium varies widely, often within a single state. Government and aided schools typically teach in the regional language, while state boards also affiliate numerous English-medium schools. If your family is choosing or entering a state board school, confirm the teaching medium for that specific school rather than assuming it from the state's name. The same principle applies in Karnataka, where six official teaching media are supported—details are on the Karnataka page.

Most state boards, including CBSE and CISCE, conduct examinations only at Class 10 and Class 12. This aligns with what we found researching these boards specifically—see the CBSE and ICSE pages for how frequently this is misunderstood at primary level. A small number of states have occasionally run their own assessments earlier (Karnataka's KSEAB is one example we document, and its policies have shifted), so treat "no external exam before Class 10" as a general principle rather than an absolute rule. Check directly with your school about what applies this academic year.

Questions a relocating family asks about state boards are largely the same ones we address on the CBSE, ICSE and Karnataka pages, just directed differently. The board's name matters less than three concrete things: which textbooks your child's new school actually uses, what the medium of instruction is, and which second or third language is compulsory there. A child moving between state boards - or between a state board and CBSE or ICSE - can find similar syllabus content while language demands shift completely, which is exactly the pattern we describe for families relocating to Bengaluru on our Karnataka page.

Our approach doesn't change by state. We request a photo of the actual textbook before planning any class, because "the state board syllabus" is not a single document anywhere in India - it is whatever your specific state textbook board issued to your specific school this year. For Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu we can go further, because we have researched those three with the depth their own regulations deserve. For any other state, we teach the way we always do: from the book your child has, not from an assumption about the board's name.

Fees for group and one-to-one classes are on the fees page, with a free assessment before you decide.