New Delhi: With the aim to help integrate vocational studies in the mainstream curriculum, the Central Board of Secondary Education has introduced coding, artificial intelligence, financial literacy and other skills for classes VI to VIII. Based on the New Education Policy’s (NEP) recommendations to introduce vocational education at the school level, the board has sent out a circular about 33 new subjects to be introduced soon.
Such skill subjects were so far available to students only after passing class XI.
The courses will be of 10–15-hours duration and optional. According to a spokesperson, they will not require investments in terms of labs and special subject teachers and are meant to provide tertiary-level exposure to the students. It will be up to the schools to integrate and introduce the skill modules.
CBSE said in a statement in April that assessment will be done internally as the subjects are only meant to promote the interest of a student.
The introduction of such subjects paired with computational thinking in schools under the provisions of the NEP represents a significant shift in education aimed at preparing students for a future characterised by rapid technological advancements, experts said, calling the step the ‘need of the hour.’
There will be many benefits which works to advance the cause of primary education in India. Early interest in this area will also encourage children to gain super-specialisation in subjects of their choice in college and become cutting edge leaders in the new world.
