Overview
- CBSE issued a circular on Thursday, Oct 29, that fixes five compulsory Class 10 board subjects for the 2028 batch while specifying nine curricular areas students must study.
- Vocational education is now compulsory for the affected cohort and students must choose either school‑assessed Kaushal Vikas or one of 22 board‑exam skill subjects.
- Kaushal Vikas will be assessed internally by schools with a minimum 33% for a school certificate and will not qualify for the subject‑replacement rule.
- Students who take any of the 22 notified skill subjects must sit the Class 10 board exam in that subject, will receive an NSQF certificate on passing, and may substitute a passed skill subject for a failed Mathematics, Science or Social Science paper when computing the result.
- The circular confirms a 33% passing standard for each board‑assessed subject based on combined internal and board marks, excludes Individuals in Society and CT/AI modules for Class 9 and Environmental Education for Class 10 for this cohort, and leaves some rollout details such as NCERT textbooks and future timing undecided which will shape schools’ planning and student choices.