Maharashtra to shift state board schools to CBSE curriculum by 2028

Maharashtra's School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, announced in the Legislative Assembly on March 24 that state board schools will gradually transition to the CBSE curriculum by 2028.

The changes will be implemented in phases, starting with Class 1 in the upcoming academic year.

Subsequent revisions will affect classes 2, 3, 4, and 6 in 2026; classes 5, 7, 9, and 11 in 2027; and finally, classes 8, 10, and 12 in 2028.

"The CBSE pattern will prioritize conceptual understanding over memorization," Bhuse said.

It will incorporate Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE), which focuses on continuous improvement rather than just final exams.

According to Bhuse, this approach will enhance student comprehension on a state, national, and global scale. Students preparing for competitive exams like NEET, JEE, and UPSC will also benefit.

To develop the state board textbooks, experts from the state textbook agency, Balbharati, are currently reviewing NCERT texts.

The textbook for Class 1 is still under preparation by Balbharati. Bhuse emphasized that the state board will remain in place, ensuring that parents won't feel compelled to enroll their children in a specific board.

He also assured that the importance of the Marathi language will be preserved, as teaching Marathi has been mandated in all government and private schools.

Regarding the transition to the CBSE curriculum, Rajendra Tathawde, principal of Pune Municipal Corporation-run (PMC) Marathi-medium school MANAPA Shala Khandwenagar, said, "When we went for training this year, we really liked this change that is going to be introduced. If implemented properly, it will be extremely beneficial to students, as even the poorest kids will have access to good quality education. However, it will take some time to align it with the SSC curriculum, as the new system is a bit more challenging."

Ashok Langhe, principal of PMC's Rashta Sant Acharya Anand Rushi English School, said, "This curriculum change will be good for the students. State board students often struggle to compete with those from other boards in Classes 11 and 12 because their physics and math content is more detailed. They face difficulties in competitive exams. Our teachers are well-trained, and if they receive more extensive training for the curriculum change, they will definitely adapt."

However, a teacher at a PMC-run school expressed concerns about the extensive training programs organized for educators under the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

"We are required to attend full-day training sessions, and sometimes there are virtual meetings even on holidays. This means that teachers are absent from classes, causing students to miss out. Teachers have to manage two classes when the other teacher is attending training, which is detrimental to both students and teachers. The change in curriculum is beneficial, but the implementation needs to be less stressful.”