Archive · 26 Jan 2026
CBSE Introduces Mandatory Skill Education for Grades VI-VIII
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in India has made skill education mandatory for students in grades VI to VIII.
This means that instead of just focusing on exams, students will learn practical skills like Artificial Intelligence, Design Thinking, and Financial Literacy.
They will also work on projects related to agriculture, machinery, and community services.
The goal is to help students become more creative, think critically, and be ready for real-world challenges.
Schools will have 110 hours each year for this program, and students will be assessed through various activities and presentations.
This change is part of a bigger plan to make Indian education more about learning useful skills for the future.
CBSE introduces mandatory skill education for grades VI to VIII, aligning with NEP 2020.
Students will engage in practical modules like AI, Design Thinking, and Financial Literacy.
The programme includes 110 instructional hours annually, with project-based learning across three work domains.
Assessment includes written tests, oral presentations, activity books, portfolios, and teacher observations.
The initiative aims to develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, preparing students for real-world challenges.
- Who
- Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
- What
- Introduction of mandatory skill education for grades VI to VIII
- When
- Academic year 2025-26
- Where
- India
- Why
- To shift from exam-centric to competency-based education, aligning with NEP 2020
- Policy Alignment
- National Education Policy 2020
- Programme Duration
- Grades VI to VIII
- Annual Instructional Hours
- 110 hours
- Assessment Components
- Written Test (10%), Oral/Viva (30%), Activity Book (30%), Portfolio (10%), Teacher Observation (20%)
- Work Domains
- Working with Life Forms, Working with Machinery and Materials, Working in Human Services
- Project Requirements
- One project per domain per grade (total 9 projects from grade 6 to 8)
- Core Skills Developed
- Critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication
- Community Engagement
- Involvement of local experts and resources