Central Board of Secondary Education also known as CBSE, is the most prominent board of school education in India. CBSE is a self-financing body which meets the recurring and non-recurring expenditure without any grant-in-aid either from the Central Govt. or from any other source. All the financial requirements of the Board are met from the annual examination charges, affiliation fee, admission fee for PMT. All India Engineering Entrance Examination and sale of Board’s publications.

In order to execute its functions effectively Regional Offices have been set up by the Board in different parts of the country to be more responsive to the affiliated schools. The Board has regional offices in Allahabad , Ajmer, Chennai, Guwahati, Panchkula and Delhi. Schools located outside India are looked after by regional office Delhi.

On 23rd October 1921 the "United Provinces Board of High School and Intermediate Education" was set up with jurisdictions over Rajputana, Central India and Gwalior. It was the first ever Board setup for Education. Later on 10 February 1929, The Government of India set up a joint Board to expand the jurisdiction and renamed it the "Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Rajputana", which included Ajmer, Merwara, Central India and Gwalior.

In 1952, as a result of the growth of State Universities and State Boards all over India, the constitution of Board was amended wherein its jurisdiction was extended to part-C and part-D territories and the Board was given its present name "Central Board of Secondary Education". And finally it was reconstituted. in1962.

Board Pattern

It conducts various examinations every year

• AISSE - All India Secondary School Examination  for Class 10 

• AISSCE - All India Senior School Certificate Examination for Class 12, which is a school-leaving examination.

Many private schools within and outside India are affiliated to CBSE. The medium for education prescribed by CBSE is either English or Hindi.

• AIEEE - All India Engineering Entrance Examination which is a common entrance examination conducted on all-India basis for admission to engineering and architecture/planning programmes in the country.

• AIPMT (PMT/PDT) - All India Medical Tests (Pre-medical and Pre-dental Tests) are conducted for medical and dental colleges. Syllabus and methodology of CBSE makes it much convenient for students to opt for pure sciences, medicines, engineering and IIT. Most successful students of competitive examinations, IITJEE, KVPY, science olympiads, mathematics olympiads are nurtured at CBSE.

Board Affiliation

There are a total of 10,011 schools in India, and outside India, affiliated to CBSE as on 28.02.2009. As a result of the reconstruction, the Delhi Board of Secondary Education was merged with the Central Board and all the educational institutions recognised by the Delhi Board also became a part of the Central Board. The Board has grown from a group of 309 schools in 1962 to 10,011 schools as on 28.02.2009, which include 981 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 1381 Government Schools, 2486 Independent Schools, 355 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and 13 Adhoc Schools. There are also Indian schools in the Middle East and Southeast Asia that are affiliated to it.In most of countries Government of India employee's Children and Indian Embassy's children go to CBSE schools abroad generally called Indian Schools. In Japan Indian education under CBSE school has gained popularity.

Board Examinations and results

CBSE examinations for classes X and XII are conducted in the month of March and the first week of April. The results are declared in the last week of May mostly in 2-3 phases. These results can be seen on the official site.

Board Structure

Chairman is the Chief Executive of the Board assisted by five Heads of Departments : the Secretary, the Director (Academic), the Controller of Examinations, HOD (Edusat, R & D and vocational Education ) and the HOD (Spl. Exams., Projects & Training ). The Secretary (Education), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India is the Controlling Authority of the Board, and appoints the Chairman and Heads of Departments.

Objectives / Mission Of The Board

• To prescribe conditions of examinations and conduct public examination at the end of Class X and XII . To grant qualifying certificates to successful candidates of the affiliated schools.
• To fulfill the educational requirements of those students whose parents were employed in transferable jobs.
• To prescribe and update the course of instructions of examinations
• To affiliate institutions for the purpose of examination and raise the academic standards of the country.