Parliamentary panel flags 56% vacancies at NCERT, 44% at CBSE

A parliamentary committee has flagged major staff shortages at two key school education bodies, saying more than half 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.

The findings are part of the Tenth Report of the Committee on Estimates for 2026-27 on budget and policy aspects of providing affordable and quality education in the country, including a review of



the CBSE, which was presented in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The panel said the vacancies need urgent attention, especially as NCERT is central to education policy and curriculum work, and CBSE conducts major national board examinations. It warned that shortages of permanent staff at CBSE could affect the safety, quality and smooth conduct of these exams.

The committee noted that NCERT has played a key role in shaping education policy in India, including the National Education Policy 2020.