The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has revised its scheme of studies for Class 9 students in the 2026–27 academic session, making vocational education compulsory and setting out the board examination and passing rules that will apply when the batch reaches Class 10 in 2027–28.
The revised guidelines, issued on October 29, require students to study nine subjects, including three languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Vocational Education. Students can also choose an optional subject from a list of 57 subjects.
The changes apply to students currently in Class 9. Those appearing for their Class 10 board examinations in 2026–27 will continue under the existing scheme.
Five compulsory subjects for Class 10 boards
Students progressing to Class 10 in 2027–28 will have to appear for board examinations in five compulsory subjects: two languages, Mathematics, Science and Social Science.
To pass, students must secure at least 33% in each subject, calculated by combining board examination marks and internal assessment. The requirement applies separately to all five subjects, rather than only to the overall aggregate.
The third language, Art Education, and Physical Education and Well-being will be assessed internally by schools. Art Education and Physical Education and Well-being will be graded rather than awarded numerical marks.
Students opting for additional subjects may also have to sit for board examinations in those subjects, depending on the assessment rules.
Vocational education: Kaushal Vikas or 22 skill subjects
Students must choose between Kaushal Vikas and one of 22 notified vocational skill subjects. The options cover fields including Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Healthcare, Agriculture, Banking and Insurance, Retail, Tourism, Automotive and Design Thinking and Innovation.
The choice affects both assessment and certification.
Students opting for Kaushal Vikas will undergo school-based internal assessment and will not have a separate board examination in the subject. Those choosing one of the 22 skill subjects will have to take its Class 10 board examination. Successful candidates will receive certification under the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF).
A student who passes a chosen skill subject may use it to replace a failed Mathematics, Science or Social Science paper in the final result, subject to CBSE’s conditions. This provision does not apply to students who choose Kaushal Vikas.
A similar replacement provision applies if a student fails either of the first two languages and passes an optional language, provided the prescribed conditions are met.
CBSE drops three planned curricular components
The latest circular also excludes Individuals in Society and the Computational Thinking and Artificial Intelligence modules from the current Class 9 batch’s curriculum. Environmental Education will not form part of this batch’s Class 10 curriculum in 2027–28.
CBSE linked the exclusions to the implementation schedule for the interdisciplinary curricular area. The circular did not specify when the dropped components would be introduced for future batches.
The changes follow several revisions to the 2026–27 scheme since it was announced in April. The earlier framework was aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023, and included plans for advanced-level Mathematics and Science, vocational learning and interdisciplinary subjects.
Separate provisions for children with special needs
CBSE has also outlined subject-selection provisions for children with special needs (CwSN). They must take at least one compulsory language with a board examination, while their remaining four board-examination subjects can be chosen from a prescribed list.
The permitted options include Mathematics, Science, Social Science, another language, specified music subjects, Painting, Home Science, business-related subjects and up to two vocational skill subjects. Automotive is excluded from the permitted vocational choices.
Students cannot select Information Technology, Computer Applications and Artificial Intelligence together. CBSE has asked schools to communicate the revised scheme and assessment requirements to students and other stakeholders.
Schools and parents should consult the board’s complete circular before finalising subject choices, particularly because the vocational option determines the assessment route and may affect the replacement provisions available to a student who fails a core subject.
