In an innovative move for students struggling with traditional subjects like Science, Mathematics and Social Science, the Central Board of Secondary Education has announced a new policy change. Students failing any of these 3 compulsory subjects in Class 10 will now have the option to replace it with a skill subject.
"If a student fails in any one of the three compulsory subjects, (i.e. Science, Mathematics and Social Science) and passes in the Skill Subject (offered as sixth optional subject), then that subject will be replaced by the Skill subject and the result of Class X Board examination will be computed accordingly," reads the CBSE Secondary Curriculum 2024-25.
The new curriculum further states that if a student fails in any language subject out of the first five subjects they take, it will be substituted with the language they have chosen as either the sixth subject (if no skill subjects are offered), or the seventh subject (if optional). "If a student fails in any language subject, out of the first five subjects, the same will be replaced by the language taken as sixth subject (in case of no serious skills subjects offered) or as seventh subject (optional), provided that he or she has passed this language and after replacement, either Hindi or English remains as a passed language in the first five subjects", states the new curriculum.
It further expects all students to have studied three languages up to class VIII. It was also mentioned that those who were unable to clear the third language by the end of class IX might be given another opportunity in class X.
It must also be noted that children with special needs (CWSN) are exempted from the study of the third language.
The Skill Subjects are as follows:
Retail Store Operations Assistant
Information Technology
Security
Automotive
Introduction to Financial Markets
Introduction to Tourism
Beauty and Wellness
Agriculture
Food Production
Front Office Operations
Banking and Operations
Marketing and Sales
Health Care
Apparel
Multi-Media
Multi Skill Foundation Course
Artificial Intelligence
Physical Activity Trainer (New)
Data Science
Electronics and Hardware (New) Foundation Skills for Sciences (Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology) (New)
Design Thinking and Innovation (New)
