Frequently asked questions

Think of a school year as a book and an exam. NCERT looks after the book: it studies how children learn, writes the National Curriculum Framework and publishes the textbooks. CBSE looks after the exam: it affiliates schools, tells them each year which chapters are in the syllabus and how marks are given, and conducts the board exams at the end of Class 10 and Class 12.

So NCERT is an academic and research body, while CBSE is an examining and certifying body.

NCERT stands for National Council of Educational Research and Training. CBSE stands for Central Board of Secondary Education.

CBSE is the older of the two. It began in 1929 as a board for Rajputana and nearby regions, was renamed the Central Board of Secondary Education in 1952 and took its present form in 1962.

NCERT was set up on 1 September 1961 as an autonomous organisation. Both have their head offices in New Delhi and come under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

• Affiliates schools that meet its rules on buildings, teachers and fees.
• Publishes the curriculum for every class each year: the chapters to study, the marks for each unit and the pattern of assessment.
• Conducts the Class 10 and Class 12 board exams and declares the results.
• Issues marksheets and certificates, which are also available on DigiLocker.
• Shares sample papers and marking schemes and runs training programmes for teachers.
• Conducts CTET, the Central Teacher Eligibility Test.

• Researches school education and advises the central and state governments on it.
• Prepares the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), the guiding document for what is taught at each stage. The current one for schools is NCF-SE 2023, based on the National Education Policy 2020.
• Writes and publishes textbooks for Classes 1 to 12, along with Exemplar problem books, supplementary readers and teacher guides.
• Trains teachers through its Regional Institutes of Education, and runs digital resources such as ePathshala.

No. There is no NCERT board. NCERT doesn’t affiliate schools, hold board exams or issue pass certificates.

When someone says their child “studies NCERT”, they mean the child learns from NCERT textbooks, usually in a CBSE school or in a state-board school that uses NCERT books.

They can’t really be compared. It’s like asking whether the textbook or the exam is better: they do different jobs and work together.

If you are choosing a school, the real choice is between boards, such as CBSE, ICSE, your state board, IB or Cambridge (see School boards in India). If you are choosing what to study from, NCERT books are the foundation for CBSE students.

Mostly, yes. For nearly all main subjects CBSE doesn’t write its own textbooks; it prescribes NCERT books. So when people say “CBSE books”, they usually mean NCERT textbooks. For a few subjects NCERT doesn’t cover, such as some skill subjects, CBSE provides its own study material.

Guidebooks from private publishers with “CBSE” on the cover are reference books. They are not official.

For Classes 9 to 12, CBSE’s affiliation rules ask schools to follow NCERT (or CBSE) textbooks. For Classes 1 to 8, schools are encouraged to use NCERT books; if they pick books from other publishers, the school has to check that the content is suitable.

Many schools also add workbooks or reference books. Either way, the board exam is set from the CBSE syllabus, and that syllabus follows the NCERT books.

Both have a part. NCERT sets the overall direction through the National Curriculum Framework and writes the textbooks. CBSE then publishes the curriculum for each class every academic year: which chapters are in, how many marks each unit carries and how internal assessment works.

Always check the current year’s curriculum on cbseacademic.nic.in, because chapters are sometimes moved or dropped.

Following NCF-SE 2023, NCERT is replacing its textbooks class by class. Classes 6 to 8 now use new books such as Ganita Prakash (Maths), Curiosity (Science), Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Social Science), Poorvi (English) and Malhar (Hindi). Class 9 has new books too, including Ganita Manjari, Exploration, Kaveri and Ganga.

At the time of writing, Classes 10 to 12 still use the earlier books, such as First Flight in Class 10 English and Flamingo in Class 12. Study Lab shows the current book list for each class.

They are written to be clear rather than tough. The lower classes use stories, activities and everyday examples; the higher classes go deeper, with derivations and worked examples.

On a quick read they can feel simple, but the in-text questions, activities and end-of-chapter exercises test real understanding. When you want more challenge, try NCERT’s Exemplar problems before moving to other books.

They are extra practice books from NCERT for Maths and Science, and for Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths in Classes 11 and 12. They have harder, concept-based questions, including multiple choice, short answer and long answer, that go beyond the chapter exercises. They’re great for board exam practice and for building a base for entrance exams.

The CBSE syllabus is built on the NCERT textbooks, so the board paper is set from the same chapters, ideas and kinds of questions. CBSE doesn’t publish a fixed percentage, but teachers agree that knowing NCERT thoroughly is the foundation: the text, the examples, the in-text questions and the exercises.

CBSE’s sample papers and marking schemes then show how those ideas are asked and what earns marks.

Not school or board exams. You can’t get a pass certificate from NCERT. Your Class 10 and Class 12 exams are conducted by your board: CBSE, CISCE or your state board.

Not any more. CBSE used to run JEE Main and NEET, but since 2019 both have been conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). CBSE still conducts CTET, the teacher eligibility test.

They are the starting point, not always the finish line.

• NEET: questions, especially in Biology, follow the Class 11 and 12 NCERT books closely.
• JEE: NCERT builds the concepts, but you’ll need a lot more problem practice on top.
• UPSC and state exams: many aspirants read the Class 6 to 12 NCERT books for the basics of history, geography, polity and economics.

• Who runs it: CBSE is a government board under the Ministry of Education. ICSE exams are run by CISCE, a private, non-government council set up in 1958.
• Syllabus: CBSE’s syllabus is compact and built on NCERT books, with a strong focus on Science and Maths. ICSE covers more ground in more detail, with a big emphasis on English and literature.
• Books: CBSE schools use NCERT books. ICSE schools mostly use books from private publishers that follow the CISCE syllabus.
• Assessment: both mix board exams with internal assessment; ICSE gives more weight to projects and practical work in many subjects.
• Entrance exams: JEE and NEET follow the NCERT syllabus, which gives CBSE students a slight head start. ICSE students cover the same topics, often in more depth.

Both boards are recognised across India and abroad.

CISCE is the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, the board itself. It conducts the ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) exam at the end of Class 10, and the ISC (Indian School Certificate) exam at the end of Class 12.

Every state has its own board, run by the state government. Neither option is better for every child; it depends on your plans.

• CBSE suits families who may move between states, and students aiming for national entrance exams, which follow the NCERT syllabus.
• A state board teaches more local history, geography and language, often offers the regional language as the medium of teaching, and usually has lower fees. Many state boards now use NCERT books or adapted versions of them.

In practice, the quality of the school and its teachers matters more than the board’s name.

NIOS is the National Institute of Open Schooling, an open board under the Ministry of Education. Students study on their own with NIOS material, with support from study centres, and earn Secondary (Class 10) and Senior Secondary (Class 12) certificates.

It’s built for flexibility: you can pick your subjects, exams are held twice a year, and you can clear subjects over several attempts. It helps students who train in sports or the arts, who work, or who can’t attend regular school. NIOS certificates are accepted for higher studies like those of other boards.

IB (International Baccalaureate) is a Geneva-based programme; its Diploma Programme covers the last two years of school. IGCSE is a Cambridge qualification taken at around age 16, usually followed by Cambridge AS and A Levels.

Both put more weight on research, projects and applying ideas than on learning set answers, and both are popular with students planning to study abroad. They also cost more, and there are far fewer such schools. Indian universities accept them, but because JEE and NEET follow the NCERT syllabus, IB and IGCSE students preparing for those exams need extra coaching.

1. Future plans: Indian entrance exams lean towards CBSE and NCERT; plans to study abroad may make IB or Cambridge worth a look.
2. Moving house: if your job may take you to other states or cities, CBSE schools are the easiest to find everywhere.
3. How your child learns: some children enjoy a broad, reading-heavy syllabus (ICSE); others prefer a focused one (CBSE).
4. Language: a state board may teach in your home language.
5. Cost and distance: fees and the daily journey matter over 12 years.
6. The school itself: visit, meet the teachers and talk to current parents. A good school on any board beats a weak one on a “better” board.

From 2026, the Class 10 board exam is held twice a year: a main exam in February that everyone takes, and an optional second exam in May for students who want to improve their marks in some subjects. Class 12 has one main exam a year, with supplementary exams for students who need them.

Rules and dates can change, so check the latest circulars on cbse.gov.in.

CBSE offers two levels of the Class 10 Maths paper. Both use the same syllabus and the same NCERT book; the Standard paper has harder questions than the Basic one.

• Choose Standard if you might take Maths in Class 11, for example for engineering, the sciences, economics or computer science.
• Basic is for students who are sure they won’t continue with Maths. After Basic, you usually can’t take Mathematics in Class 11, though you can take Applied Mathematics.

Check your school’s rules and the current CBSE circular before deciding.

CGPA means Cumulative Grade Point Average: the average of your grade points across subjects, on a scale of 10. CBSE used CGPA for Class 10 from 2010 to 2017, and for those results CBSE’s rule of thumb is percentage ≈ CGPA × 9.5. A CGPA of 8.4, for example, is about 79.8%.

Today CBSE marksheets show your marks and a grade for each subject. CBSE doesn’t announce an overall division or aggregate; if a college needs a percentage, it usually works one out from your subject marks under its own rules.

1. Start from the syllabus. Note the marks for each unit and plan your time to match.
2. Finish NCERT first: every example, in-text question and exercise.
3. Practise with real papers. Do CBSE’s sample papers and past papers against the clock, writing by hand.
4. Write the way the marking scheme rewards: show your steps, label diagrams, use the key terms.
5. Revise little and often. Short, spaced sessions beat one long cram; Study Lab’s Daily revision is built for exactly this.
6. Look after yourself. Sleep, meals and short breaks help your memory more than late nights do.

• Use the 15-minute reading time to plan: mark the questions you’re sure of and the ones to come back to.
• Budget roughly 2 minutes per mark in a 3-hour, 80-mark paper, and keep 10 to 15 minutes at the end for checking.
• Start with a section you’re confident in to build momentum, but answer every question; steps carry marks even when the final answer is wrong.
• Don’t get stuck. If a question takes much longer than its marks deserve, move on and return later.
• Practise full timed papers at home, so the real exam feels familiar.

• Break your revision into small daily goals and tick them off. Visible progress calms the mind.
• Take mock tests in exam conditions, so the real one feels like practice.
• When you feel panicky, try slow breathing: breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, out for 6.
• Keep sleeping 7 to 8 hours, eat properly and step outside every day.
• Talk to a parent, teacher or friend. CBSE also offers free counselling for students around board exam time; see cbse.gov.in.

Parents: ask how your child is feeling, not just how many chapters are done. If worry stops them sleeping, eating or studying, talk to a school counsellor or doctor.

• Use one base. The Class 11 and 12 NCERT books cover the board syllabus and are the foundation for both JEE and NEET, so study each chapter once, properly, for both.
• Plan by the week: school topics first, then entrance-level problems on the same topic.
• Take regular mock tests and spend as long reviewing your mistakes as you spent on the test.
• Don’t ignore board marks. To get into IITs, NITs and other JoSAA institutes you usually need 75% in Class 12 (65% for SC/ST students), or a place in the top 20 percentile of your board.

“NCERT Solutions” are worked answers to the questions in NCERT textbooks. Most are made by teachers, publishers and websites, not by NCERT itself.

They help most when you use them after trying a question yourself: to check your answer, see a cleaner method or find out where you went wrong. Copying them without trying first feels quick but doesn’t stick. In Study Lab you can ask the AI study buddy to explain a step you don’t understand, right next to the chapter.

For most students, NCERT textbooks plus NCERT Exemplar plus CBSE sample papers are enough for the board exams. Add a reference book only for extra practice in a subject you find hard, often Maths or Science, or when preparing for entrance exams.

Finish NCERT first. One well-used extra book is better than three half-read ones.

• Understand where each formula comes from. If you can derive it, you can rebuild it in the exam.
• Keep one formula sheet per chapter in your own handwriting, and read it for a minute every day.
• Use formulas in problems rather than just reading them; using them is what makes them stick.
• Test yourself with spaced practice: cover the sheet and write the formulas from memory, after a day, then three days, then a week.
• Link them to real life, such as speed on a car ride or area when painting a wall.
• Teach someone else. Explaining a formula is one of the fastest ways to learn it.

• Science: Physics and Chemistry with Maths (PCM) for engineering, architecture, data and computing; with Biology (PCB) for medicine and the life sciences; or all four (PCMB).
• Commerce: Accountancy, Business Studies and Economics, with Maths or Applied Maths as an option, for CA, finance, business and management.
• Humanities: subjects such as History, Political Science, Geography, Psychology, Sociology and Economics, for law, civil services, design, media, teaching and more.

Choose by what you enjoy and do well in, not by what your friends pick. Talk to your teachers or a school counsellor, and look at the subjects certain careers require. CBSE also allows mixing subjects across streams, within what your school offers.

CBSE publishes the curriculum for Classes 9 to 12, along with guidance for the younger classes, on cbseacademic.nic.in under Curriculum, usually before each new academic year begins. Your school will also share it. Always use the current year’s version.

Every NCERT textbook is free to read and download as a PDF on ncert.nic.in and on the ePathshala app. Printed copies are inexpensive and sold at NCERT sales counters and authorised bookshops.

In Study Lab you can read the NCERT books for Classes 6 to 12 chapter by chapter, with an AI study buddy, quick tests and daily revision alongside.

1. Read the chapter before it’s taught in class, then again after.
2. Do every in-text question and exercise, and work through the solved examples yourself.
3. Don’t skip boxes, tables, diagrams or “Activity” sections; exam questions often come from them.
4. Use the chapter summary for quick revision.
5. Practise with NCERT Exemplar and CBSE sample papers.
6. Check the current CBSE syllabus so you know exactly which chapters are in.