I have been a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, and I know for a fact that our curriculum was much better than the state boards. In fact till the year before I passed out of the X class (1991) we were given 5% extra on top of the percentage we scored in the board exams if were to cross over from the CBSE schools to the state board (In Maharashtra atleast). We were also required to furnish a domicile certificate if we wanted to get admitted to a state board affilianted Junior College (class XI), I never really understood why were we given such a treatment. On one hand the state was acknowledging that our study pattern had been better and on the other hand we needed to prove we were Maharashtrians enough !
I wondered why could we not have one single curriculum across India so that students could easily cross over from one school to another. What is the point have every state have their own bodies which create their own curriculum ? Why not draw the best talent from all states and make them run the National curriculum program? All we would need are some translators for the vernacular schools. Guess we just like to give every state the opportunity to spend money on the exact same thing which the NCERT has already worked on. Also it would give the regional parties a chance to introduce 'customised history' lessons. So much for a 'forever developing nation' which is short of funds !
I feel there are a lot of simple answers to the big questions India faces as a country, it just needs some common sense and a bit of political will to set it right. Maybe they just don't want us to get smart, that way they can keep exploiting us and milking the country & filling up their already overflowing coffers.