Odisha Government to Merge BSE and CHSE into a Unified Education Board

In a historic move to consolidate and merge school education, the Odisha state government had made an official announcement on 21st August 2025 of merging the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) and the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) into a single, integrated board to develop SCERT on NCERT lines. The decision was approved in a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, indicative of sweeping reforms to enhance learning experience and student performance in the state.

Why Is the Merger Happening?

The move is Odisha's attempt to put into place the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which seeks to overhaul the system of educational governance to offer coordination, uniform standards, and integrated development. By bringing the two boards under one umbrella, the government is aiming to streamline administrative procedures, ensure uniformity in the curriculum and examination system, and make education more transparent and student-centric at the secondary (Class 10) and higher secondary (Class 12) levels. 

Key Points of the Reform

• Single Board: BSE and CHSE will become a single board. This will address all phases from curriculum planning to exams and eliminate confusion among parents as well as students. 
• Free Text Books: Free textbooks for all Class 9 and 10 students will now be made available, which was previously only for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in these classes. Additionally, only students of classes 1-8 had free textbooks.
• Health Care in Hostels: Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM) or multipurpose health workers will be posted in student hostels (one for every 300 students) for basic health care.
• Online Private School Approvals: Approvals of new private schools shall now be done online to improve transparency and efficiency.
• Mother Tongue-Based Education: Special emphasis on tribal children, e.g., setting up a Multilingual Education Centre in Koraput, funded by SC & ST Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI).
• Special Educators: Trained teachers (B.Ed in Special Education) would be deputed as resource persons for inclusive education to assist differently-abled children.
• SCERT Upgradation: The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will be upgraded on the lines of NCERT for better academic standards and training of teachers.

Who Were Present During the Discussion?

Top government officials and ministers namely, Nityananda Gond (School & Mass Education), Manoj Ahuja (Chief Secretary), Saswat Mishra (Principal Secretary to CM), Shalini Pandit (Secretary, School & Mass Education), and Ananya Das (Director, Odisha School Education Programme), attended the meeting when the proposal was approved.

What Does This Mean for Parents and Students?

1. Streamlined processes, one board facilitating students from Class 10 and 12.
2. Standardized testing and curriculum system, enabling preparation and fairness.
3. Access to free textbooks through Class 10, lowering costs for families and easing study.  
4. Improved health and educational support, especially for hostel students and those with special needs.

In short, the Government of Odisha's decision to integrate BSE and CHSE is a step towards "One Board, One Vision", a single, streamlined school education system that is student-centric and future-oriented. It is a major reform that is being implemented and appreciated; now the wait is on its results.