The ambitious plan of the Government of Andhra Pradesh to secure CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) affiliation for its government schools has been set in motion as the central board has agreed in principle to extend recognition to 1,092 schools in phase one of the plan. It is from the academic year 2022 that the CBSE syllabus will be taught in the first batch of these schools and those Class IX students who gain admission in 2022 will attempt CBSE exams in the year 2024. "The academic year 2024-25 will be a landmark year for the education sector in Andhra Pradesh as students will write the CBSE exams for the first time,” said Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh, as per a report in The Hindu.
The Education Minister also stated that the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has been asked to form a panel of experts and the curriculum has been revised as well. He said that they would want their students to attempt national-level examinations and that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is determined to shift to the central board syllabus, known to have higher standards, so that even Andhra Pradesh students can compete at a global level.
Andhra Pradesh has over 6,000 high schools, those with Classes from VI to X, and more than five lakh students attempting the crucial Class X Board examinations. The officials of the School Education Department have been instructed to design lower classes syllabus while maintaining the highest standards so that the transition to central board syllabus when it comes to higher classes is smoother.
Principal Secretary, School Education, B Rajasekhar and Incharge of AP Residential Educational Institutions Society Col V Ramulu met CBSE Chairman Manoj Ahuja and Secretary Anurag Tripathi in the national capital with regards to the proposal a few weeks ago. The officials of CBSE had defined the affiliation conditions then and the officials of the state realised that more than 1,000 schools of Andhra Pradesh required infrastructure so that they are eligible for affiliation. Col V Ramulu informed that to ensure the affiliation, the deadline which was October 31 has been extended by a month and the affiliation payment fee has also been allowed in one go by the Board officials.
