UP Board aligns school curriculum with job skills, mandates vocational courses

Vocational subjects will become compulsory for students entering Classes 9 and 11 in Uttar Pradesh from the 2026 academic session, as the state board moves to align school education more closely with skill development and employment needs.

Officials said the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad has approved the introduction of at least one vocational subject alongside regular academic courses for students at the secondary level, marking a significant change in the structure of school education.

UP Board Secretary Bhagwati Singh said subject committees have cleared curricula for several vocational trades and forwarded them for final adoption.

“The focus has been on preparing students for real-world skills that can be useful both for higher studies and employment.”

The approved trades include information technology and allied areas, electronics, apparel, and beauty and wellness.

The curricula were developed by subject experts after multiple rounds of discussion under the guidance of Additional Secretary Satyendra Kumar Singh and Skand Shukla, officials said.

According to the board, the new courses emphasize hands-on training and job-oriented learning rather than purely theoretical instruction.

Students will be introduced to basic technical skills, practical applications, and workplace-ready knowledge to help them make informed career choices at an early stage.

Education officials said the initiative is in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy, which stresses greater integration of vocational education at the school level.

They said early exposure to skill-based learning is expected to reduce the gap between education and employment and promote self-reliance among students.

The board is also working on developing additional vocational subjects and plans to expand the list of trades in the coming months to include more sectors and emerging fields.

The Central Institute of Vocational Education, Bhopal, assisted the UP Board in designing the courses, with contributions from several subject specialists.

Officials said the new framework is expected to provide students with practical exposure from a younger age and better prepare them for higher education or direct entry into the workforce.