CBSE revises Scheme of Studies for 2028 Class X board exams

Why in the News

Students taking the 2028 Class X board exams will be examined in five subjects, not the nine to 10 subjects the new curriculum had loaded on them. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has revised its Scheme of Studies and dropped three subjects for this batch, but the other compulsory subjects will still be taught.

What is the Scheme of Studies, and why was it revised?

1. What it is: The Scheme of Studies is CBSE’s list of subjects a batch must study and those it is examined on. It works like a timetable marking which classes count for the result.
2. Why it changed: Subjects introduced after the current academic session created confusion and made students study nine to 10 subjects.
3. Stated reason: A CBSE circular to affiliated schools says the change aligns the new curricular area with its implementation schedule.
4. Who is covered: The change applies to the batch in Class IX in 2026-27, which moves to Class X the following year. Students already in Class X in 2026-27 keep the existing scheme.
5. The takeaway: The board has separated what students learn from what they are examined on, so that a wider curriculum does not mean more exam stress.

What will this batch be examined on?

1. Dropped subjects: The batch will not study three subjects:
   • ‘Individuals in Society’ in Class IX;
   • the Modules on Computational Thinking (CT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Class IX;
   • ‘Environmental Education’ in Class X.
2. Five board subjects: Board exams will cover two languages, mathematics, science and social science.
3. Less exam pressure: Students can focus on these five subjects for the board exams and learn the others without the stress of scoring marks.

What will students still study?

1. Nine curricular subjects: Students will still study nine compulsory curricular subjects, including a third language, art education, and physical education and well-being.
2. Vocational education: Vocational education stays a compulsory curricular area for this batch.
3. Skill subject choice: Students meet the vocational requirement by taking either Kaushal Vikas or any one of the 22 Skill Subjects notified by the Board.

Challenges

1. Ungraded subjects sidelined: Subjects with no board marks risk losing timetable time to the five examined ones.
2. Mid-course changes: Revising the scheme after subjects were introduced unsettles students, teachers and schools.
3. Third-language teachers: Many schools lack trained teachers for a third language, especially non-Hindi languages.
4. Vocational stigma: Few adolescents take formal vocational training. Eg. Under 1% of school-going adolescents do.

Way Forward

1. Early notification: CBSE should notify each batch’s scheme before it enters Class IX.
2. School-based assessment: Schools should assess ungraded subjects through a Holistic Progress Card, so they still count.
3. Teacher recruitment: States and schools should recruit and train third-language teachers.

Conclusion

This batch will learn more subjects than it is examined on, a split meant to cut exam load without shrinking the curriculum. Whether schools keep teaching the ungraded subjects seriously is what to watch.

Back2Basics: Three-Language Formula

1. What it is: Students learn three languages in school, at least two of them Indian languages.
2. Origin: The Kothari Commission (1964-66) proposed it to promote national integration while preserving linguistic diversity.
3. NEP 2020: The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 favours the home language or mother tongue as the medium of instruction at least up to Grade 5.
4. Not binding: The formula is a guideline, not a law, so States apply it unevenly. Eg. Tamil Nadu follows a two-language policy.

Matching Previous Year Question

“[2020, GS2, 15 marks] National Education Policy 2020 is in conformity with the Sustainable Development Goal-4 (2030). It intends to restructure and reorient education system in India. Critically examine the statement.”