History: The NBSE was set up through an Act by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly and received the assent of the Governor on the 15th of November 1973.

         It started functioning from the 1st October 1974, and in March 1975, the Board held its first High School Leaving Certificate Examination at 6 (six) centres, for 2008 (two thousand and eight) candidates.

        In trying to emerge with her own identity, a series of workshops, seminars, trainings, study tour were organized. Subsequently, the state level curriculum committee held its first meeting on the 30th March 1978 which led to a series of workshops to bring out our independent curriculum. The new curriculum, shaped after the needs of the state, was approved by the Government on the 12th April 1979. Text books written or selected in accordance with the newly framed curriculum were put into use for classes 9 and 10 from 1981 and 1982 respectively.

        In 1986, a significant development marked the HSLC examination process with the introduction of centrally coded answer books for centralised evaluation.

        In 1988, the existing HSLC course was semesterised and bifurcated into two examinations, i.e. the Class 9 (Promotion) Examination and the HSLC examination. With the onset of semesterisation, supplementary examination was done away with.

        From 1987 the system of conducting supplementary examination in the middle of the year and immediately after the main examination was abolished.

        The NBSE conducted the HSLC Examination 1988 on the new syllabus based on the national core curriculum.

        The first Class-9 (Promotion) examination was held in 1988 at all the recognised schools. Classes-8 and 9 examinations were decentralised where the Board sets and supplies the question papers and the schools evaluate and declare the results as per the criteria laid down.

        The 1994 batch of students of Class 8 and 9 were allotted registration numbers consequent upon their success at these examinations.

        The 1995 batch of students of Class 8 and 9 were issued pass certificates with registration numbers. This move made it easier for the Board to keep a track record of each student.

        The NBSE ( Amendment ) Act 1990 empowers the Board to conduct the higher secondary school leaving certificate examination under the three streams- science, arts and commerce.

Composition:

                      The Board is composed of ex-officio members, members nominated by the Government and co-opted members.

                      There is a full time Chairman who is the chief executive. The different sections of the office are examination, academic, administration, computer and accounts.

Jurisdiction:

                    The jurisdiction of the Board is the State of Nagaland.

Objectives:    The Nagaland Board of School Education is basically instituted to achieve certain objectives such as:

1.    To prescribe courses of instruction for examinations,

2.    To prescribe conditions of examinations, conduct examinations and be responsible for making necessary arrangements for the same,

3.    To publish the results of external examinations,

4.    To prepare the curricula, syllabi and textbooks in accordance with the approved courses of study.

Since its inception, the Board has been carrying out functions like:

    a)    giving guidance to the State Government on development of  school education;

    b)    adopting reforms in examinations and evaluation practices;

    c)    inspecting schools to ascertain attainment of standards;

    d)    organizing seminars, workshops for teachers and heads of institutions.