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BOSSE — Board of Open Schooling & Skill Education

The Board of Open Schooling & Skill Education (BOSSE), Sikkim is an NIOS-recognised open schooling board offering Secondary (Class 10), Senior Secondary (Class 12) and Skill & Vocational programmes with flexible subject choices — a second chance at education for learners of all backgrounds.

Govt. of Sikkim Board NIOS-Recognised Class 10, 12 & Vocational Exams Twice a Year

On this page ℹ️ About BOSSE 🎓 Programmes 📘 Secondary (Class 10) Subjects 📗 Senior Secondary (Class 12) Subjects 📋 Exam Pattern 🏅 Recognition ❓ FAQs

About BOSSE

Everything you need to know about the Board of Open Schooling & Skill Education.

The Board of Open Schooling & Skill Education (BOSSE) was established by the Government of Sikkim under the Sikkim Act No. 14 of 2020 (Gazette notification published on 8 October 2020). As an open schooling board, BOSSE provides flexible, learner-friendly education up to pre-degree level — Secondary (Class 10), Senior Secondary (Class 12) and Skill & Vocational Education — in English, Hindi and regional languages.

BOSSE is recognised by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Govt. of India, making its certificates valid all over India. The board uses a credit accumulation system and conducts examinations twice a year, giving learners up to nine chances over five years to clear all subjects and earn their certificate. Its curricula are designed by renowned academicians, including from NCERT and NIOS, making it a strong foundation for higher studies and competitive exams such as NEET and JEE.

BOSSE Programmes

Three flexible pathways to complete your education.

Secondary (Class 10)

Equivalent to the X standard. Choose 5 subjects — at least 1 and up to 2 languages from Group A, with the remaining subjects from Group B. Up to 2 additional subjects can be added with extra fees.

Senior Secondary (Class 12)

Equivalent to the XII standard. Flexible subject choices with no restriction on combinations, except that at least one language must be taken. Strong base for higher studies including NEET and JEE.

Skill & Vocational Education

Employment-oriented, hands-on vocational courses designed by industry experts to develop practical skills alongside academics.

Admission is open round the year. For Secondary, learners choose five subjects — at least one and up to two languages from Group A, with the remaining from Group B. Two additional subjects can be added with extra fees. For Senior Secondary, there is no restriction on combinations except that at least one language must be taken.

Secondary (Class 10) Subjects

The Secondary programme is equivalent to the X standard.

Group A — Language Subjects

Code	Subject
101	Hindi
102	English
103	Urdu
104	Sanskrit
105	Bengali
106	Punjabi
107	Assamese
108	Nepali
109	Odia
110	Kannada
111	Malayalam
112	Tamil
113	Telugu
114	Gujarati
115	Marathi

Group B — Non-Language Subjects

Code	Subject
201	Mathematics
202	Science & Technology
203	Social Science
204	Economics
205	Business Studies
206	Home Science & Human Ecology
207	Psychology
208	Indian Culture & Heritage
209	Accountancy

Subjects marked with an asterisk on the official list (Science & Technology, Home Science & Human Ecology, Psychology) have theory as well as practical examinations.

Senior Secondary (Class 12) Subjects

The Senior Secondary programme is equivalent to the XII standard.

Group A — Language Subjects

Code	Subject
301	Hindi
302	English
303	Urdu
304	Sanskrit
305	Bengali
306	Odia
307	Punjabi
308	Kannada
309	Malayalam
310	Tamil
311	Telugu
312	Gujarati
313	Marathi

Group B — Non-Language Subjects

Code	Subject
401	Mathematics
402	Family & Community Studies
403	Psychology
404	Geography
405	Economics
406	Business Studies
410	Physics
412	History
413	Environmental Science & Sustainable Development
415	Chemistry
416	Political Science
418	Biology
419	Accountancy
420	Law, Justice & Governance
421	Digital Literacy & Computer Science
422	Sociology
423	Tourism
424	Physical Education and Yoga

Subjects with an asterisk (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Psychology, Family & Community Studies, Environmental Science & Sustainable Development, Digital Literacy & Computer Science, Physical Education and Yoga) include practical examinations.

BOSSE Exam Pattern

Fair, flexible and student-friendly examination scheme.

Board	Board of Open Schooling & Skill Education (BOSSE), Sikkim
Established	Under the Sikkim Act No. 14 of 2020 (Gazette notification 8 October 2020)
Programmes	Secondary (10th), Senior Secondary (12th) and Skill & Vocational Education
Examination Sessions	Twice a year — April-May and October-November
Medium	Question papers provided in Hindi and English
Pass Criteria	33% in each subject and 33% in the aggregate of 5 subjects (including at least one language); practical subjects need 33% in theory and practical separately
Credit System	Credit accumulation system — marks of every passed subject are kept and accumulated till all subjects are cleared
Validity	Certificates valid all over India; BOSSE is recognised by NIOS (Govt. of India)

Examinations are held online or at designated Examination Centres. Continuous Assessment (assignments/projects) forms 20% of the theory component in practical subjects.

Recognition & Equivalence

BOSSE certificates are recognised across India.

NIOS-Recognised

BOSSE is recognised by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Govt. of India, and its certificates are valid all over India.

Govt. of Sikkim

Established under the Sikkim Act No. 14 of 2020, a statutory open schooling board set up by the State Legislature.

Higher Studies

Secondary/Senior Secondary certificates are valid for higher education and competitive exams such as NEET and JEE, as well as passport and official purposes.

FAQs — BOSSE

Need answers? Find them here.

What is BOSSE?

The Board of Open Schooling & Skill Education (BOSSE) is an open schooling board set up by the Government of Sikkim under Act No. 14 of 2020. It offers Secondary (Class 10), Senior Secondary (Class 12) and Skill & Vocational programmes with flexible subject choices, designed for learners who cannot attend regular school.

Is BOSSE recognised in India?

Yes. BOSSE is recognised by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Govt. of India, and its certificates are valid all over India. The board is also enlisted in COBSE.

How often are the examinations held?

BOSSE conducts examinations twice a year — during April-May and October-November — at specified examination centres, which may be online or at Accredited Institutions.

How many chances do I get to pass?

Admission is valid for five years, during which learners get nine chances to appear in the examination and pass to earn the Secondary or Senior Secondary certificate.

Are BOSSE previous year question papers available?

BOSSE does not publicly release previous year question papers. Question papers are provided to candidates at the examination in Hindi and English. Study materials and online course material are available through the BOSSE student zone on the official website.

Is the BOSSE certificate valid for NEET/JEE and higher studies?

BOSSE is recognised by NIOS, Govt. of India, and its Secondary/Senior Secondary certificates are valid for higher studies including competitive examinations such as NEET and JEE, and for passport and other official purposes.

Start Your Open Schooling Journey with BOSSE

Admission is open 24×7 — visit the official BOSSE website to apply for Secondary, Senior Secondary or Vocational programmes.

Visit bosse.ac.in