CBSE revised the Class 10 curriculum for the 2028 board exams.
The revised structure separates nine subjects from five board papers
The CBSE clarified the structure on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Praggya M Singh, Director (Academics), CBSE, communicated the changes to school principals. The circular is intended to clarify the requirements for the current Class 9 batch. The changes apply to students studying in Class IX in 2026-27 and progressing to Class X in 2027-28; the existing scheme continues for students in Class X in 2026-27.¹²³
Students in the affected batch will study nine compulsory curricular subjects in total. The list includes a third language, art education, physical education and well-being, and vocational education. Five subjects make up the compulsory board examinations: two languages, Mathematics, Science and Social Science. The wider set of compulsory curricular areas and the board-exam subjects are separate parts of the structure.¹²³
The clarification does not apply to the current Class 10 batch. Officials said subjects introduced after the current academic session created confusion and left students facing nine to 10 subjects. A source said the emphasis is on encouraging meaningful learning rather than a focus solely on examinations.¹²³⁴
Students in the affected batch will study nine compulsory curricular subjects in total.
Several newly introduced subjects are excluded from the affected curriculum
For these batches, “Individuals in Society”, “Environmental Education” and the “Modules of Computational Thinking (CT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)” will not be part of the curriculum. The Board also clarified that the interdisciplinary area and CT and AI modules will not be included in its Scheme of Studies. These exclusions concern the listed curriculum modules; they do not remove Artificial Intelligence as an option among the notified skill subjects.¹²
Education & University InsightsAssam Sets Exams for over Five Thousand Seven Hundred Posts
The six departments include Assam Police, Forest Department, Home Guards, APRO, Fire and Emergency Services, and Prisons.
Read More →The specific exclusions follow the students through their school years: “Individuals in Society” and the Modules of CT and AI in Class 9 (2026-27) are not part of the curriculum, while “Environmental Education” in Class 10 (2027-28) is also excluded. The clarification addresses the subjects named for those classes and academic sessions.¹²³⁴
Students choose between a skill subject and school-assessed Kaushal Vikas
Vocational education remains a compulsory curricular area for the Class 10 2028 batch. Students may choose “Kaushal Vikas” or any one of the 22 skill subjects notified by the board. The listed choices include Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Information Technology, Financial Markets, Healthcare and Design Thinking. Students may also opt for an additional skill subject, which may help them pass if they fail in Mathematics, Science or Social Science.¹²³
The assessment route depends on the choice. A student selecting any of the notified skill subjects must sit a Class 10 board examination in that subject. The resulting marks and grades appear on the CBSE marksheet, and students who pass receive certification under the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF). This route gives the selected skill subject a board examination and a recorded result alongside the other marks.¹²³
Students choosing Kaushal Vikas are assessed internally by their schools and do not sit a separate board examination in the subject. Those who secure at least 33 per cent marks receive a school certificate. The CBSE has outlined school-based assessment and a board examination as the two vocational education pathways, with the examination applying to students choosing one of the notified skill subjects.¹²³
The resulting marks and grades appear on the CBSE marksheet, and students who pass receive certification under the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF).
A separate Class 9 textbook covers personal finance and income tax
NCERT has made personal income tax part of the Class 9 curriculum. Its book “Understanding Society India and Beyond-Part 2” was released on Tuesday, six months after the new academic session began. The first part of the textbook was released in June. The timing and subject matter are separate from the CBSE curriculum changes for the 2028 Class 10 board examinations.¹²³⁴
Education & University InsightsBITS Pilani Reshapes Undergraduate Curriculum for the AI Era
The revised programme includes emerging fields, structured wellbeing activities and funding for students developing solutions to societal problems.
Read More →The chapter “Managing Your Personal Finances” says the journey towards managing money begins in childhood. It contains a table of tax slabs under the new income tax regime, and NCERT Chief Dinesh Prasad Saklani said students can work through actual slab-wise tax calculations under that regime. The chapter also presents personal finance through Income, Budgeting, Saving, Investing, and protection and risk management.⁴
The chapter lists Fixed Deposits, Bonds, Stocks (Equity or shares) and Mutual funds as investment options. The new tax regime was first introduced in India during the Union Budget in February 2020 and took effect from the financial year 2020–21. It became the default tax regime starting April 1, 2023.⁴
Pick a skill subject with a board exam
For students in the 2026-27 Class 9 batch, choosing a notified skill subject such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or Information Technology adds a board exam to your Class 10 year, and the marks appear on your CBSE marksheet. That route also earns NSQF certification if you pass, which gives you a formal, recorded credential beyond the five core subjects. If you fail Mathematics, Science, or Social Science, an additional skill subject can help you pass overall, so weigh that safety net when deciding between a skill subject and school-assessed Kaushal Vikas.¹²³
Related on Career Ahead Bioinformatics literacy reshapes K‑12 STEM pipelines IIT Kharagpur Launches Free GATE-JAM Prep Platform and AI Tutor India’s Skills University Experiment: Can YISU Succeed Where So Many Have Failed?
The revised structure separates nine compulsory subjects from five board papers, so your effort in non-exam areas like art, physical education, and vocational education does not directly decide your board score. That changes how you allocate study time: focus your exam preparation on the two languages, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science, while treating the other four subjects as requirements to complete rather than board-performance drivers. Also note that the new personal finance chapter in Class 9 covers income tax slabs and investment options, so building familiarity with tax calculations now gives you a practical edge for later financial decisions.¹²³⁴
Sources
- thehindu.com — https://www.thehindu.com/education/5-compulsory-subjects-optional-skill-paper-as-safety-net-cbse-scheme-for-2028-class-10-exams/article71641833.ece
- news18.com — https://www.news18.com/education-career/cbse-announces-new-subject-rules-for-class-10-board-exams-2028-ai-data-science-among-22-skill-subjects-10409890.html
- indianexpress.com — https://indianexpress.com/article/education/cbse-revises-scheme-of-studies-for-2028-class-x-board-exams-10942734/
- thehindubusinessline.com — https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/education/in-a-first-personal-income-tax-part-of-class-9-curriculum-ncert-book-talks-only-about-new-regime/article71532244.ece
Written by Career Ahead AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify key facts. Report errors to support@careeraheadonline.com
Education & University InsightsTilvi: Research Funding Builds World-Class Universities
Tilvi argued that sustained research funding and advanced facilities define world-class universities. He cited Harvard's $50 billion endowment as proof.
Read More →
