Under the revamped School Quality Assessment and Assurance (SQAA) Plus framework, schools will be graded A+, A, B or C based on defined quality parameters. The decision was approved at CBSE’s 142nd Governing Body meeting in December 2025, the Hindustan Times reported.
CBSE had introduced the SQAA framework in 2013 to strengthen accountability and institutional standards. In 2023, it made annual self-assessment mandatory for all affiliated schools across seven domains, including curriculum, infrastructure, governance, inclusivity and leadership. Completion of the online self-review is currently required for fresh affiliation, upgradation and extension applications.
The new SQAA Plus model aims to introduce real-time, on-site inspections and multi-domain evaluations, linking academic performance with governance practices, infrastructure readiness, inclusivity and student well-being indicators. The move is intended to create a more field-oriented and data-driven quality assurance mechanism, the report stated.
The rollout will begin in phases, starting with 500 selected schools. A dedicated cadre of inspection specialists will assess management practices, academic quality, infrastructure and overall institutional health. Schools will receive categorical ratings along with clearly identified gaps and suggested improvement pathways.
The report mentioned that CBSE’s governing body has approved the engagement of three consultants from National Informatics Centre Services Inc (NICSI)-empanelled Ernst & Young LLP for monitoring, field validation and impact assessment. The 18-month project, including consultancy, training and framework development, is estimated to cost ₹2.89 crore, the report added.
In other decisions, the Board approved the launch of an ‘Annual Young Culinary Championship’ for students of Classes 6 to 12 by December 2026. It also cleared stricter Unfair Means (UFM) rules and agreed to engage a non-governmental organisation to study the impact of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in affiliated schools.
