Global curriculum for CBSE schools

New course to be launched on pilot basis in 50 schools

The Central Board of Secondary Education wants to introduce an international curriculum in its schools across the country to help prepare students who wish to go abroad for higher studies.

The international curriculum, designed on the pattern of the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate (IB), will shortly be launched on pilot basis in 50 schools affiliated to the CBSE here in India.

“On the basis of the feedback, we will decide further to introduce it in all the CBSE schools across the country,” the Board’s chairman Vineet Joshi said, adding that process will soon be initiated to identify 50 schools for implementing the pilot project.

This, however, will be an additional option for the CBSE students. The existing curriculum in the CBSE schools, which is based on the National Curricular Framwork-2005, will continue to exist in all schools catering to the needs of the Indian populace.

“Some students want to go outside after class-XII. They take IB (International Baccalaureate) course. We (through CBSE) should also provide such courses," HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said.

The international curriculum, which basically aims at making Indian student fit in the global requirements of learning, has already been successfully introduced in 26 schools of the CBSE in various countries like United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hongkong, Japan and Malaysia.

At the primary level the learners would study two languages. One of them would be English and the second could be Hindi or the mother tongue or any other foreign language.

At the middle and secondary stage, the learners would study three languages. One of them would be English and of the remaining one could be Hindi or the mother tongue or the local language and the third would be a foreign language enlisted in the curriculum.

At the primary level, the students would learn Mathematics and Environmental Education in classes I and II. For classes III to V, the students would learn Mathematics, Information and Communication Technology, General Science and Social studies in addition to Art Education and Physical Education.

Efforts have been made to retain a large segment of the content and keep it in tune with that of the existing CBSE curriculum. However, keeping in view the global requirements of learning, a few new elements in the content have been introduced to keep the learners aware about contemporary developments, the CBSE chairman said.

"The course will be a bit more expensive than the current one. Although the schools will decide the fee, we will fix a reasonable limit," Joshi said.

The international curriculum has been designed in  a way that it can provide opportunities for extended learning, development of perspectives, research orientation, and Social empowerment through Work and Action (SEWA). It will have a more liberal approach towards Arts education.