The NBSE was set up through an Act by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly and received the assent of the Governor on the 15th of November 1973.It started functioning from the 1st October 1974, and in March 1975, the Board held its first High School Leaving Certificate Examination at 6 (six) centres, for 2008 (two thousand and eight) candidates In trying to emerge with her own identity, a series of workshops, seminars, trainings, study tour were organized. Subsequently, the state level curriculum committee held its first meeting on the 30th March 1978 which led to a series of workshops to bring out our independent curriculum. The new curriculum, shaped after the needs of the state, was approved by the Government on the 12th April 1979. Text books written or selected in accordance with the newly framed curriculum were put into use for classes 9 and 10 from 1981 and 1982 respectively.
The NBSE conducted the HSLC Examination 1988 on the new syllabus based on the national core curriculum.The NBSE ( Amendment ) Act 1990 empowers the Board to conduct the higher secondary school leaving certificate examination under the three streams- science, arts and commerce.The Board is composed of ex-officio members, members nominated by the Government and co-opted members.There is a full time Chairman who is the chief executive. The different sections of the office are examination, academic, administration, computer and accounts.