Assam creates unified school education board to oversee Class X & XII exams

Guwahati, Sept. 8: The Assam government has officially merged its two primary education boards, the Board of Secondary Education Assam (SEBA), and the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC), to form the Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB).

This newly established board, created under the Assam State School Education Board Act, 2024, will now oversee the regulation and quality of school education across the state.

Previously, SEBA was responsible for conducting the Class X state board examinations, while AHSEC handled the Class XII examinations.

With the merger, ASSEB will now manage both, streamlining educational administration in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

Ramesh Chand Jain, a retired IAS officer and former SEBA Chairman, has been appointed as the Chairman of ASSEB, with Rukma Gohain Barua serving as Vice-Chairman.

The board will consist of 21 members, each serving a three-year term, with the possibility of renewal to ensure ongoing representation from the educational community.

Education Minister Ranoj Pegu took to social media on Sunday to express that the move aligns with NEP 2020's goals, aimed at modernising Assam’s educational framework.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also added that the new board will help synchronise school education to “meet the needs of the 21st century”.

The decision to consolidate the two boards was first proposed in a Chief Minister-led cabinet meeting in November 2023 and passed during the Budget session in February 2024.