More than half of the sanctioned posts at the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) are vacant, while 44 per cent of positions at the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) remain unfilled, a parliamentary committee has said, flagging staff shortages at the two key school education bodies.The findings are part of the Tenth Report (Eighteenth Lok Sabha) of the Committee on Estimates (2026-27) on ‘Budget and Policy Aspects for Providing Affordable and Quality Education in the Country including Review of Central Board of Secondary Education’, which was presented to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
NCERT has 1,596 vacant posts
The committee noted that NCERT has played a key role in shaping educational policies in India, including the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to transform the education system.The Education Ministry informed the committee that NCERT has developed the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCFFS) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE). It has also initiated the process of developing syllabi and textbooks based on these frameworks in line with the vision of NEP 2020.The committee, however, expressed concern over the large number of vacancies across various posts in NCERT.It noted that as of October 2025, against a sanctioned strength of 2,844 posts across various branches of NCERT, the actual strength stood at 1,248, leaving 1,596 posts vacant.Of these, 145 vacancies were in academic posts, 131 in school teaching, 916 in ministerial posts and 404 in ancillary posts.“The Committee are of the view that having so many posts vacant in NCERT which is an apex body instrumental in rethinking and reshaping education in a manner that is national in scope, deserve urgent attention of the Ministry,” the report said.The committee said “sincere effort should be made by the Ministry for filling up of various vacancies”, considering the role of education in the growth of the country and the role played by NCERT in bringing about this transformation.
CBSE has 933 vacant positions
The committee also expressed concern over a “major shortage” of permanent staff at CBSE.It noted that out of 2,117 approved positions, 933 posts, or 44 per cent, are vacant. The shortage is particularly high among Group C support staff, where 595 positions remain unfilled.The committee further noted that CBSE is currently relying on temporary and contractual staff to handle its day-to-day work.“The Committee are of the view that such shortage of permanent staff may put the safety, quality, and smooth running of major national board exams at serious risk,” the report said.The panel strongly recommended that CBSE “should stop relying on temporary contractual workers for sensitive exam works” and take necessary measures to fill all vacant positions through fast-track recruitment in a time-bound manner.
CBSE affiliation and student numbers have grown
The committee also noted that CBSE is a self-funded autonomous body and does not receive any grant-in-aid from the ministry.The number of schools affiliated with CBSE has increased from 3,787 in 1992-93 to 31,234 in 2024-25, as of October 8, 2025.The committee noted that CBSE has expanded to 25 regional offices and five sub-regional offices to cater to the requirements of a growing number of students.“By 2025, student numbers rose to over 1.70 million in Class XII and over 2.38 million in Class X,” it said.The staffing concerns flagged by the panel come as the board continues to handle examinations and other academic responsibilities for a growing network of affiliated schools and millions of students. The committee has now called for vacancies at both NCERT and CBSE to be addressed, with particular emphasis on strengthening permanent staff at CBSE for sensitive examination-related work.
