The Government of India has issued a notification entrusting the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) with the responsibility of granting equivalence to Secondary (Class 10) and Senior Secondary (Class 12) certificates awarded by various School Education Boards across the country, PIB stated.
Objective of the move
The move is aimed at streamlining student admissions to higher education institutions and employment under Central, State, and Union Territory Governments. The notification was published in the e-Gazette on 6 September 2025 by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.This notification supersedes the earlier directive dated 15 November 2021, which had assigned this responsibility to the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). Under the new arrangement, NCERT will exercise this mandate through the National Assessment Centre, Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH), established in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
Equivalence determination process
According to the notification, the equivalence determination will be conducted via a strong and academically rigorous process, ensuring the highest educational standards. The system applies to Central Government, State Government, and private Indian School Boards, including those established by an Act of Parliament or State legislature, executive orders, statutory bodies, or recognised institutions authorised to issue certificates.
National validity and inter-board parity
The equivalence granted by NCERT will be valid across India and will provide inter-se parity among School Education Boards, thereby facilitating smooth student migrations between boards anywhere in the country.
PIB stated that this institutional mechanism will ensure uniformity in the recognition of certificates and is expected to significantly ease academic and employment processes for students nationwide.