LUCKNOW, Feb. 18 -- Sandeep Singh, basic education minister, told the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly on Tuesday that government schools under the basic education department follow the same National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus as private schools, pushing back against opposition questions on English-medium education on the lines of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) boards in the state.

"The same syllabus taught in private schools under NCERT is being taught in basic education department schools," Singh said during Question Hour.

The minister pointed to infrastructure upgrades, citing CM Composite Schools as an example. Each such school is ...