The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has begun shortlisting pilot schools to implement a revamped curriculum up to Class VIII, aimed at bringing real-life experiences into classroom learning.
Around 30 schools from Bengal are expected to be part of the cohort of 250 schools selected from across the country, CISCE chief executive and secretary Joseph Emmanuel told Metro.
Some city schools have already received emails from the council informing them of their selection for the pilot. In a communication to one school, the council said: “The purpose of this pilot is to enable a gradual transition from content coverage to competency-based learning, with a focus on deepening understanding, strengthening thinking skills, and improving student learning outcomes.”
The council said schools will play a “pivotal role” in helping develop a “competency-based, future-focused curriculum”. The letter added that the school had been “provisionally selected to pilot the CISCE Curriculum Transactional Project 2026-27”.
The selection of schools is based on academic performance, co-scholastic endeavours, and logistical capabilities, the council stated.
“Schools will be selected from diverse backgrounds and from across India. It has to be ensured that schools from different regions participate in the project, and strategies need to be developed accordingly to scale it up,” Emmanuel told Metro.
The cohort will include a mix of rural and urban schools, as well as girls’ and boys’ institutions, to ensure a heterogeneous and representative sample.
The revamped curriculum is expected to be rolled out in phases starting from the 2026-27 academic year. The council has earlier said the initiative seeks to move away from rote learning and reduce exam-related stress.
During an address to heads of Anglo-Indian schools earlier this month, Emmanuel spoke about the council’s intention to link classroom learning more closely with everyday life. He told Metro then that the new approach would rely on locally available resources for teaching and learning.
For instance, a kitchen garden could be used to teach biology, mathematics and economics by linking vegetable prices and seasonal availability to concepts such as demand and supply.
Schools must be willing to take the initiative forward; only then will it be successful, a council official said. “It cannot be made compulsory. Participation will be voluntary, and schools should want to be part of it,” the official said.
Once schools confirm their participation, principals will undergo orientation, followed by training sessions for teachers. “Principals will attend orientation on the new pattern of teaching and learning, which links theory with real-life application. Senior teachers will then train the rest of the faculty,” Emmanuel said.