In a significant policy shift, the Government of India has officially designated the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) as the authority for granting equivalence to Class 10 and 12 certificates issued by various school education boards across the country. This move, notified by the Ministry of Education’s Department of School Education and Literacy on 6th September 2025 via the e-Gazette, replaces the earlier notification dated 15 November 2021, which had assigned this responsibility to the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
Under this new arrangement, NCERT will carry out the equivalence process through its National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), which was established under the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. PARAKH will ensure that the process of equivalence determination is academically rigorous, transparent, and upholds national education standards.
This equivalence will be recognized for all purposes of higher education admissions and employment under Central, State, and Union Territory Governments. It also applies to certificates issued by Central and State Government boards, private Indian boards established through acts of Parliament or State Legislatures, executive orders, or statutory bodies.
The notification ensures inter-se parity among school boards in India, thereby enabling seamless student migration across different boards and states. The equivalence granted by NCERT will carry nationwide validity, removing ambiguity and administrative barriers previously faced by students and employers when evaluating board certificates.
This move is expected to simplify and standardize educational and professional opportunities for students across India, reinforcing the principles of equity and quality as envisioned by NEP 2020.
