National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an autonomous organisation under the Government of India's Ministry of Education, established on 1 September 1961. It serves as the country's apex resource body for school education, developing and publishing model textbooks, curricula, supplementary materials, multimedia resources, and educational kits used by schools across India. NCERT advises and assists the central and state governments on academic matters related to school education and conducts research, surveys, and studies to inform educational policy and practice. Its work is closely aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and successive National Curriculum Frameworks, shaping how children learn from the foundational years through senior secondary stages. The Council operates a network of constituent units, including the National Institute of Education (NIE), the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), the Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), and Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) at Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysuru, and Shillong. NCERT also organises flagship national activities for school children, including science exhibitions, olympiads, talent searches, and pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes.