In a sweeping education reform, the Himachal Pradesh government has announced that 100 senior secondary schools across the state will adopt the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum from the next academic session.

Officials said the transition, to be rolled out in the first phase, is designed to give students from government schools a nationally benchmarked edge in academics and competitive exams.

“At least one CBSE-affiliated government school will be set up in every Assembly constituency, ensuring equal access for students across Himachal,” a state government spokesperson said on Saturday. “This will provide quality education at affordable cost while preparing youth to meet the demands of higher education and professional careers.”

The initiative, officials said, is intended to spark healthy competition between schools under the state board and those affiliated with CBSE, pushing both teachers and students towards higher performance.

To drive the change, a separate CBSE sub-cadre will be created, with serving teachers given the option to join. Recruitment of principals, teachers, and staff will be merit-based, taking into account academic excellence and co-curricular involvement.

A performance-linked incentive scheme — both monetary and non-monetary — will be introduced to keep staff motivated.

These schools will function as day-boarding institutions, expanding their focus beyond academics. Students will receive support in sports, nutrition, arts, skilling, counselling, mentoring, and competitive exam coaching.

Additional posts will be sanctioned wherever needed to strengthen the initiative.

By aligning with CBSE, Himachal aims to strengthen the academic competitiveness of its students and open wider national and global avenues.