The Himachal Pradesh government has announced a sweeping push to upgrade its school education system, with 151 government schools set to adopt the Central Board of Secondary Education curriculum from the upcoming academic session, alongside new teacher recruitment, digital learning initiatives and infrastructure upgrades.

Education Minister Rohit Thakur said the affiliation has been granted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), marking a major shift for the state’s government-run schools.

Chairing a review meeting with senior education department officials, Thakur assessed the progress of digital education initiatives. He was informed that 7,635 tablets will be distributed to meritorious students by the end of the month to strengthen digital learning and expand access to modern educational resources in government schools, according to an official statement.

Transport support for students in remote districts

Taking note of hardships faced by students following school mergers, de-notifications and rationalization, the minister directed the department to arrange transport facilities for affected students, particularly in remote and tribal districts such as Kinnaur, Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti.

He emphasized that decisions on school re-notification and rationalisation must prioritise students’ interests and instructed officials to re-notify schools at Nagrota and Jwalamukhi.

Horticulture to be introduced as a vocational subject

In a push for skill-based education, officials were asked to identify schools where horticulture could be introduced as a vocational subject. Thakur said the state has received dual-category recognition from the National Council for Vocational Education and Training, enabling the subject to be rolled out in phases with adequate teaching staff.

Recruitment push to address teacher shortage

The minister also reviewed teacher recruitment and was informed that 1,427 candidates have appeared for the Lecturer Direct Recruitment examination, with results expected soon.

He said the Finance Department has cleared the filling of 870 teacher posts and directed officials to accelerate recruitment to address shortages, particularly in science and commerce streams. Departments were also asked to submit details of pending recruitment cases to ensure faster appointments.

₹13.91 crore released for school infrastructure

On infrastructure, Thakur said ₹13.91 crore has been released to 219 schools under the Post Disaster Needs Assessment programme. Of the 782 repair and construction works sanctioned, a majority have already been completed. Officials were instructed to ensure the remaining projects are finished on schedule.

College rankings and new Kendriya Vidyalayas planned

To strengthen higher education, the state will finalize the ranking of colleges on March 17 to improve academic standards. The minister also asked officials to expedite formalities for establishing new **Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan schools so they can become operational from the next academic session.

Thakur further directed the department to simplify admission procedures and ensure a transparent system for issuing certificates, aiming to prevent inconvenience for students and parents during institutional transfers.