CBSE announces new curriculum for classes 3 to 6, no changes for other classes

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has revealed that for the academic year 2024-25, a new syllabus and textbooks will be introduced by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for students in classes 3 to 6. However, there will be no modifications to the syllabus for students in other classes, as confirmed by CBSE officials.

NCERT is currently in the process of developing the new syllabi and textbooks for classes 3 to 6, with plans to release them soon. Joseph Emmanuel, CBSE's Director (Academics), advised schools to adopt these new syllabi and textbooks for classes 3 to 6, replacing those published by NCERT until the year 2023.

Furthermore, Emmanuel mentioned that NCERT is also working on a bridge course for class 6 and concise guidelines for class 3, aimed at facilitating a smooth transition for students to new pedagogical practices and areas of study aligned with the new curriculum framework, 2023. These resources will be made available to all schools online upon receipt from NCERT. Additionally, CBSE will organize capacity-building programs for school heads and teachers to acquaint them with the new teaching-learning perspectives envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Last year, the Ministry of Education revised the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) after an 18-year interval. This move aligns with the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. However, there will be no alterations to the curriculum and textbooks for other classes for the academic year 2024-25 commencing from April 1, 2024.

In a related development, the National Curriculum Framework for the foundational stage (FS) was introduced by the Ministry of Education in 2022. NCERT developed and compiled learning-teaching materials (LTM) as per this curriculum framework, including "Jaadui Pitara" for learning at the foundational stage, featuring toys, puzzles, puppetry, posters, flashcards, worksheets, and storybooks.

In 2022, NCERT rationalized the syllabi of classes 6 to 12 to alleviate the content load on students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This rationalization effort involved the removal of chapters on various historical and political topics, sparking political controversy with allegations of historical erasure from opposition leaders.

The announcement by CBSE signifies a significant step in educational reforms, aiming to align curriculum frameworks with evolving pedagogical practices and educational policies.