Chennai: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct Class 10 board examinations for seven subjects from the next academic year as part of changes aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Currently, Class 10 students appear for five core subjects — English, Hindi, Mathematics, Science and Social Science. Under the revised framework, CBSE will introduce two additional subjects:

An Indian language (other than English and Hindi), and

A skill-based/career-oriented subject.

The move comes as CBSE continues to realign its curriculum and assessment patterns based on directions from the Union Education Ministry. NCERT has already updated textbooks in accordance with NEP guidelines.

CBSE has also discontinued the traditional pass/fail system for Classes 8 to 10 this year and rolled out the option for students to appear for Class 10 board exams twice a year, with the better score being retained.

For the new skill-based subject, students may choose from a wide range of options including computational thinking, physical education, wellness, art education, environmental studies, artificial intelligence, information technology, retail, marketing, and financial education.

The changes aim to strengthen multidisciplinary learning and enhance career exposure during the foundational years of secondary education.