The Ministry of Education has urged seven states, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Manipur, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal, to adopt a common board system for Classes 10 and 12 following a national assessment that revealed these states account for nearly 66% of student failures in board exams. The recommendation, based on data from the Department of School Education, aims to promote consistency in curriculum, assessment, and academic standards across the country.

Currently, India has 66 school examination boards, including 63 at the state level. The ministry noted that a lack of standardisation in assessments and promotion criteria has contributed to wide disparities in student performance. In 2024 alone, more than 22.17 lakh students failed their Class 10 exams, and 20.16 lakh failed their Class 12 board exams. Officials have called for the stronger implementation of centralized initiatives, such as the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and better outreach from institutions like the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), especially in regions with high dropout rates.

Despite challenges, the report highlighted positive trends, including improved pass rates among girls in science subjects and strong performances by students in centrally managed institutions. Girls surpassed boys in science stream success, with over 28 lakh clearing science exams in 2024. Meanwhile, Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas continued to show exceptional results in national-level entrance exams like NEET-UG and engineering tests. Additionally, students writing exams in Odia and Malayalam performed better than those using other regional languages, further strengthening the case for a unified education system across states.