The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has granted foreign board equivalence to the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), paving the way for the curriculum to be formally introduced in Indian schools, according to officials.

WACE is a globally recognised senior secondary curriculum from the Australian government. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA), a statutory body of the Government of Western Australia, administers the WACE programme.

With over 37 years of delivery across over 16 countries, including Singapore, China, Japan, and Malaysia, WACE is known for its future-ready curriculum that emphasizes academic depth, skills development, and global university pathways.

The board plans to onboard 100 schools in India in the next three years. The first cohort of Indian students enrolled in WACE will complete their first year of study in 2026, the officials said.

According to Angelique Smith, principal consultant of SCSA, WACE is seen as a high-quality, but moderately priced alternative to existing international boards, offering K-12 education.

“For over 36 years, WACE has empowered students across continents with the tools to succeed in higher education and beyond. With AIU equivalence granted in India, we are proud to partner with Indian schools to offer a globally recognised curriculum that nurtures inquiry, adaptability, and academic excellence.

“WACE is excited to make a strong contribution to the Indian K-12 learning ecosystem, much in alignment with the NEP 2020 goals of providing holistic education, fostering flexible and multidisciplinary learning and teacher professional development,” Smith said.

Offered through a network of partner schools across India, WACE will provide students with a unique identification number from SCSA, and all certifications will be issued directly by the Government of Western Australia.

“The AIU’s recognition of WACE is a transformative moment for the Indian school education system. It not only affirms the credibility of the Western Australian curriculum but also opens new academic and career pathways for Indian students, within India as also globally.

“We are excited to support Indian schools in bringing this forward-thinking, NEP-aligned curriculum to life,” said Syed Sultan Ahmed, Chairman of TAISI, and Advisor to WACE India on International Curriculum Integration.

At present, International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and French Baccalaureate (FB) are among the foreign boards offering curriculums and assessments in India.

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