The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), established before India's independence, conducted its first High School and Intermediate examinations in 1930. Initially serving 70 recognized high schools and 12 intermediate colleges, the board evolved from administrative necessity. Its origins trace back to the U.P. Board, which found its jurisdiction too vast, leading to the formation of a joint board in 1929 to manage examinations for Rajputana and surrounding regions, eventually becoming the precursor to the modern CBSE.