Whenever there is talk of 10th and 12th board exams, the name of CBSE comes first. Crores of students and lakhs of parents of the country are associated with this board. But CBSE is not just an examination conducting body, rather it is one of the biggest boards that gives direction to the school education system of the country. In recent times, CBSE has also been in the news for its new digital evaluation system. In such a situation, it becomes important to know what CBSE is, how it works and in whose hands is its command.

CBSE i.e. Central Board of Secondary Education is a national level education board working under the Ministry of Education of the Government of India. It was established in the year 1929. At present thousands of schools in the country and abroad are affiliated with CBSE. This board performs important responsibilities like giving recognition to schools, deciding the curriculum and conducting board examinations.

Why is CBSE important in the school education of the country?

CBSE is considered to be the most influential school board in the country. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya and a large number of private schools are affiliated to this board. CBSE curriculum is also considered very important for the students preparing for competitive examinations like medical and engineering. This is the reason why any decision of the board directly impacts crores of students.

What are the main functions of CBSE?

The responsibility of CBSE is not only to conduct examinations. This board conducts 10th and 12th examinations, provides affiliation to schools, decides the examination pattern, prepares the evaluation system and also implements new education policies. Apart from this, various educational reforms and digital initiatives for students are also implemented through this board.

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Who is the CBSE chief?

The highest officer of CBSE is the Chairperson. Usually the Central Government appoints a senior administrative officer to this post. In June 2026, the Central Government has appointed senior IAS officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as the new chairperson of CBSE. Before this, he has handled important administrative responsibilities in the Central Government.

Academic experts or bureaucrats, who is in charge?

The most special thing about CBSE is that its top leadership is often with senior IAS officers. That is, the command of the institution usually remains in the hands of bureaucrats. However, academicians, subject experts and education experts also play an important role in the decisions related to curriculum, examination and education. Therefore CBSE is considered to be a hybrid model of administrative and academic expertise.

CBSE came into limelight due to OSM controversy

Recently, CBSE’s new On-Screen Marking (OSM) system was in controversy. It is a digital evaluation system through which answer sheets are checked online. Some students and parents raised questions about the evaluation process, scanned answer sheets and transparency. The matter became so serious that the central government ordered an inquiry and changes were made in the top officials of the board. After this, Delhi High Court has also sought response from the Central Government and CBSE on the petition related to this matter.

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