Indian States and Their Education Systems: What You Need to Know

When you think about Indian states, the 28 distinct regions in India that each manage their own education policies, funding, and school systems. Also known as state governments, they control everything from which board students follow to how many engineering seats are available. It’s not just about geography—it’s about who gets access to what kind of education, and why.

Take CBSE schools, the national board system used by over 20,000 schools across India, dominated by Uttar Pradesh with more than 7,200 affiliated institutions. Also known as Central Board of Secondary Education, it ensures the same paper is given in Delhi, Kerala, or Himachal Pradesh, making it the most uniform system in the country. But not every state uses CBSE. Some, like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, run their own state boards with different syllabi and exam patterns. That’s why a student in Bihar might struggle with a JEE question that’s easy for someone in Delhi—same exam, different prep. And it’s not just about boards. The rise of NEET coaching, intensive private training centers that help students crack the medical entrance exam. Also known as medical entrance prep, it’s exploded in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, where public medical colleges are scarce and competition is fierce. Meanwhile, in states like Karnataka and Telangana, coaching centers are more focused on JEE Advanced, the tough exam that gets you into IITs, where only the top 2.5 lakh JEE Main scorers qualify. Also known as IIT entrance exam, it’s the gateway to India’s most prestigious engineering schools. Your chances of getting into IIT Bombay with a 5000 rank? It depends on your state, your category, and whether you’re willing to take a less popular branch.

And it doesn’t stop at school. The value of an MBA, a postgraduate degree that can boost your salary—but only if you attend the right school and land the right job. Also known as Master of Business Administration, it’s seen as a career accelerator in urban centers like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi, but in smaller states, employers still prioritize technical degrees over management credentials. The data from 2025 shows clear gaps: an MBA from a top-tier college in Maharashtra can double your salary, but one from a local institute in Chhattisgarh might not move the needle at all.

What you’ll find below isn’t just random articles. It’s a real map of how education works across Indian states—from the state with the most CBSE schools to the exact rank you need to get into IIT Bombay, from the coaching hubs that turn students into toppers to the degrees that actually pay off. No fluff. Just what works, where, and why.