CBSE to launch community radio station for students and teachers

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is preparing to set up a dedicated community radio station for students, teachers and other stakeholders. Officials confirmed that the proposal received approval during the board’s recent Governing Body meeting.

As part of the plan, the CBSE will apply for a community radio licence in the coming months. Consultative meetings with stakeholders and technical experts are expected over the next six months to finalise the application and outline the content structure. Financial planning for the project is also under way.

A senior CBSE official said the initiative will expand the board’s communication channels. “Once the licence is procured, we will work out the modalities for the content that will be broadcast,” the official noted.

The CBSE already operates “Shiksha Vani”, a podcast platform launched to share subject-related audio material for students of classes 9 to 12. Available on the Google Play Store, the platform has uploaded nearly 400 episodes in line with the NCERT curriculum.

The proposed community radio station will function differently from existing platforms. It will be a live, interactive medium, capable of delivering information, guidance, and educational updates directly to its audience. The



plan is to create programming relevant to the needs of CBSE’s large and diverse community across India.

Community radio is recognised as a third tier of broadcasting in India, distinct from public and commercial radio. Designed for local communities, these low-power stations allow content in local languages and dialects, which can increase engagement. They also give space to voices often excluded from mainstream media, including marginalised groups, and can cover subjects such as education, health, agriculture and social awareness.

India currently has 540 licensed community radio stations, run mainly by non-profit bodies such as educational institutions, NGOs and registered societies. The government promotes such stations in rural and remote areas through various schemes, seeing them as a tool for inclusive communication.

For CBSE, the move could strengthen its outreach, especially in regions where internet access is limited. With millions of students and teachers under its ambit, a dedicated radio platform may help bridge information gaps and encourage participation in educational initiatives.

If the licensing and planning process stays on track, the CBSE community radio could be on air in the near future, marking a first for a national education board in India.