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At a recent board meeting on June 25, CBSE proposed mandatory linking of APAAR ID with the students' records during registration in Classes 9 and 11 and in List of Candidates (LoC) of Classes 10 and 12. It has requested all its affiliated schools to collect APAAR IDs from the students to keep themselves ready prior to the registration and LoC submission process.

APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) is a unique 12-digit identity developed by the Education Ministry under the 'One Nation, One Student ID' program. The ID will provide a life-long digital academic identity to all students, housing their achievements and records in one secure platform through DigiLocker and Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). 

Revised exam and registration fee for academic year 2025–26

CBSE has approved a marginal raise in examination and registration fees due to rising operational expenses. The fees were last increased in 2020.

For Indian students of Class 10 and 12, the exam fee has been raised by Rs 20 per subject for each candidate (a rise of 6.66%). The exam fee per subject has been raised by 10% in Nepal and other nations overseas.

The fee for the practical examination has also increased—Rs 10 per subject for every student in India and Rs 25 in Nepal and other foreign countries.

The revised fee structure includes:

• Examination fee from Class 10 and 12 for Single theory subject: Rs 320 (India), Rs 1100 (Nepal), Rs 2200 (Other countries) while for Five theory subjects: Rs 1600 (India), Rs 5500 (Nepal), Rs 11000 (Other countries)
• Practical subjects for Class 12 only in Rs 160 (India), Rs 175 (Nepal), Rs 375 (Other countries)
• Registration fee for Class 9: Rs 320 (India), Rs 550 (Nepal and other countries) and Class 11: Rs 320 (India), Rs 660 (Nepal and elsewhere)

Digital experience centre to be set up in New Delhi

CBSE has also opted for establishing an AI-based digital experience center at its Integrated Office Complex in Sector 23, Dwarka, New Delhi. This has been done in the same governing body meeting.

The center shall be planned to provide a dynamic, technology-enabled environment where students can engage with learning material. It should encourage innovation and deepen understanding of learning principles through interactive experiences.

APAAR ID for effective student data management

According to CBSE, linking APAAR IDs will improve accuracy, eliminate record duplication, and reinforce the verification process. Currently, no student information is linked to a standardised identity system, and so discrepancies.

The APAAR ID system is linked with DigiLocker and ABC, ensuring smooth academic credit transfer and lifelong access to information. It also enables admission tests like JEE, NEET, and CUET by serving as a primary identifier.

All partner schools will have the facility to generate APAAR IDs for students using the UDISE+ portal. The implementation process includes parent-teacher meetings, approval by parents, data verification, and distribution of the IDs. CBSE will oversee implementation through the APAAR ID Monitoring (AIM) portal.

The APAAR commission aims to increase academic transparency, facilitate data-driven decision-making, and enable student mobility across institutions having been aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Government of India's Digital India mission.

Institutions are mandated to assign highest priority to APAAR ID generation and complete 100% coverage of students. Institutional support in terms of resources, implementation toolkits, and a helpline (1800-889-3511) is offered during implementation.

A social media update fueled controversy surrounding India's education agenda, stating: "India doesn't need more IITs. It needs more ITIs." The update pointed to the government's ₹60,000-crore skill mission — upgradation of 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes, establishment of five National Centres of Excellence, industry tie-ups, and crafting courses that are job-oriented to train 20 lakh youth within five years.

The viral post blamed "mindless" Bachelor of Arts degrees in tier-3 and tier-4 cities for being irrelevant in jobs, urging their replacement with vocational studies in areas such as CNC machining, electronics assembly, and electronics testing.

Joining the debate, former Chief Economic Adviser and NITI Aayog member Dr. Arvind Virmani said even the Indian Institutes of Technology can have more practical learning. "Arts and humanities subjects in IITs could be supplanted or supplemented by CNC machining, electronics testing and assembly, construction of houses, and assembly of machinery," he said, contending that engineers through practical skills can fill the gap between what they are taught and what the industry needs.

Under the new scheme approved by the Union Cabinet, the Centre will bear ₹30,000 crore, states ₹20,000 crore, and industry ₹10,000 crore. The Centre's half share will be taken care of by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

In the next five years, ITIs will implement revised, industry-specific courses, introduce new trades, and train 50,000 trainers. Five National Skill Training Institutes — Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Ludhiana — will be upgraded.

Acting as "government-owned, industry-managed" centers, redesigned ITIs will provide industries, including MSMEs, with a continuous flow of industry-ready workers.

APAAR ID mandatory for CBSE board exams 2026; exam fee hiked and AI-facilitated centre on the cards

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it mandatory for students to link their APAAR ID with academic records for Classes 9-12. The board will introduce the measure from the 2026 board examinations.

In addition to the APAAR ID mandate, the board has also approved a fee structure change in registration and examination fees for Indian, Nepalese, and other foreign countries' students. The CBSE will also establish an AI-based digital experience centre to make educational resources more accessible.

Bhubaneswar, Aug 10: Ten years after his death, renowned academic and author Professor Ganeswar Mishra was remembered with a sense of reverence for his unique contribution to local literature in eastern India. In a memorial function organized on Saturday by Sateertha — a socio-cultural group instituted by the late Mishra himself — top writers and scholars paused to note the richness and originality of his work.

Delivering a lecture at the function, Prof Basant Kumar Panda made strong literary comparisons, juxtaposing Mishra's highly acclaimed novel Samudrika (1964) with milestone regional novels like Bengali Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay's Hansuli Banker Upakatha (1947) and Hindi Phanishwar Nath Renu's Maila Anchal (1954). He adds that Samudrika, focused on the Nolia fishing settlement in Puri, is significant since it is perhaps the only Odia novel to inhabit their universe — something of a rare event that adds texture to the canvas of Indian regional fiction.

Acclaimed author Dash Benhur captured Mishra's versatility, noting that aside from his fiction, Mishra was also an innovative feature writer — a genre that is still very much in vogue with today's readers. "His skill at marrying narrative richness with cultural commentary made his work both accessible and profound," he said.

Author Chirashree Indrasingh provided individual insights into Mishra's life and writing career, and emphasized introducing his work to young readers. "His stories still tell us things today — about people, places, and feelings that are worth more investigation," she mentioned.

The event also saw the launch of two new publications marking Mishra's legacy — Sakalara Muhan, a play adaptation of one of his novels by playwright Dayanidhi Tripathy, and Yah Dil Ki Suno, a translation in Hindi of his chosen short stories by Udayan Supakar.

Some who were there included poet Saroj Bal and scholar Dr Biraj Mohan Dash, who voiced a sentiment shared by many: Professor Ganeswar Mishra's voice is as contemporary as ever in the changing saga of Indian literature.

Delhi assembly has passed a landmark bill in which all the private schools are required to seek government approval before increasing their fees. This is a landmark step that will ease the burden of parents hit by sudden and sharp rises in school fees and end years of uncontrolled fee increment in the entire area of private school education in the city.

What Does the New Bill Implicate?

Since the bill has been passed in August 2025 all private unaided schools in Delhi including both schools constructed on government lands and schools put on privately owned properties are now required to send their proposed fee increases to the regulatory committee of the government. No fee increase can take effect other than after the government approval has been given. Previously fee regulation only covered approximately 350 schools but the new law includes over 1,400 private schools in Delhi.

Highlights of the Delhi Fee Regulation Bill, 2025

1. Covers all private unaided schools (over 1,443 institutions).
2. Any fee increase requires government approval in advance by the schools.
3. Three tier inspection and appeals system: check of proposal after school, after district, after state, with parent representation.
4. Transparency up-front: schools need to make every part and fee processing open.
5. Stiff penalties on non compliance: fines of up to 10 lakh rupees, the threat of being de-recognized, and even the government can step in to run affairs in the extreme.

What Grounded the Bill?

During the academic year 202526, numerous Delhi private schools raised their fee by up to 3045 percent, leading to a massive surge of parent protests. Previous legislation only controlled the fees of schools on state land, so most schools were free to increase their prices without any monitoring. The new bill moves towards greater accountability, transparency and fairness to the families all around the city.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta of Delhi appreciated this:

"It’s a 52-year wait that’s finally ended for the parents of Delhi. This bill is a promise to fix arbitrary fee hikes and bring justice to every household," she said during the Assembly debate.

What’s Next?

The bill has passed and awaits final approval by Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena. Once passed, no fee increments will be implemented without approval and parents will have a channel to appeal the increment as they get grievances redressed. Schools that will be caught violating the rules may be fined hefty sums of money or even be de-recognized.

The law puts parent interests at the forefront as it enables thousands of families to budget education costs without the risk of an arbitrary and arbitrary increase. It sends a clear message of responsibility to school managements and sends a message of a new dawn of transparency at the private school system in Delhi

The 10th Graduation Day and 37th batch convocation ceremony of RVR & JC College of Engineering, Chowdavaram, witnessed a call of universality for innovation and upgradation by factually retired Chief Justice of India NV Ramana. The event, held on Saturday, witnessed the presence of hundreds of students and faculty members, with Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) Chairman Prof. K. Madhu Murthy being the guest of honour.

Addressing graduating students, Justice Ramana outlined the red-hot demand for skills related to industry in a world of rapidly altering technology. According to him, "Technology can do wonders and solve complex problems but only 10 per cent of India's 1.5 lakh engineering graduates are employable." Citing the declining placement rates in premier institutions like IITs, where only 60% of students had been placed in 2024, as a wake-up call.

"While being proud of your mother tongue, acquisition of English is equally important to compete globally," he stated. He urged students to achieve critical thinking, creativity, and communication.  "Engineers should not remain job seekers but job creators through innovation."

Prof. Madhu Murthy echoed the same, encouraging students to see challenges as opportunities. "The world needs problem solvers and leaders who are capable of adapting and leading in uncertainty," he said.

Convocation witnessed 1,023 B.Tech and 153 postgraduate students graduating. Skilled performers were given gold medals and certificates with applause from fellow students and kin.

The event celebrated not just scholastic success but also reminded the students that it was their job to create a future-strong, future-ready India. The contemporary global economy demands more than degrees, and the message in the orations was clear: success in the form of adjusting to innovation, lifelong learning, and alignment with real-world problems.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said that the Delhi School Education (Fee Determination and Transparency in Regulation) Bill, 2025, approved a day ago in the Assembly, will check arbitrary increases in private school fees and bring transparency.

Addressing a media conference, Gupta clarified the Bill covers all 1,733 private schools in Delhi, including close to 300 schools that were given land at concessional prices by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). According to her, the legislation is to safeguard parents from unexpected and inexplicable hikes in fees, as well as to ensure schools remain answerable in their financial dealings.

Under the new law, Director of Education will be empowered like a sub-divisional magistrate to take action against violations. Steps include freezing bank accounts and levy of property of schools that are found in violation of the norms.

Unauthorised increase in fees will attract fines of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, with double penalties if payment is tardy.

The Bill compels schools to make a case for any fee increase they propose by producing evidence in the fields of location, infrastructure, operational expenses, and the quality of teaching. 

Parents will also have the power to accept or decline these proposals, which will directly involve them in decision-making.

"This Bill is a shield for the dreams of Delhi's children," Gupta stated. "No one will be permitted to put a price on their ambitions."

Gupta informed that the draft had been drawn up following consultation with education professionals and parent organisations. She added that the intention was to strike a balance between the protection of parental interests and permitting schools to continue functioning effectively.

Alleging that AAP and Congress governments in the past 27 years did not take any concrete measures to cap school fees, Gupta criticized the earlier AAP government and previous governments. "If education was your top priority, why didn't you introduce a legal framework previously?" she asked.

The law also places schools under stricter watch irrespective of their history of land allotment. Officials will now have the authority to inspect accounts and records to ensure adherence.

The Delhi government hopes that the law will tackle long-standing grievances of parents regarding excessive annual increases, particularly in schools in prime areas. The next phase will be to draft rules for implementation of the Bill and establishing complaint redressal mechanisms for parents.

Until now, the government has asserted that the law is aimed at introducing both transparency and accountability into an industry where money matters have long been unchecked.