This section is made to give an exposure to all stake-holders regarding the academic and pedagogic stages designed to be followed in a time-frame as envisged in National Education Policy 2020 declared by Government of India, to be implemented in schools in a phased manner

FOUNDATIONAL STAGE

The curriculum for the four Stages of schooling has been designed based on the vision of NEP and on the considerations of child development, conceptual nature (complexity, abstraction) of subjects, and the appropriate modes of inquiry at each age range.

Early Childhood Care and Education(ECCE) ideally consists of flexible, multi-faceted, multi-level, play-based, activity-based, and inquiry-based learning, comprising of alphabets, languages, numbers, counting, colours, shapes, indoor and outdoor play, puzzles, and logical thinking, problem-solving, drawing, painting and other visual art, craft, drama and puppetry, music and movement. It also includes a focus on developing social capacities, sensitivity, good behaviour, courtesy, ethics, personal and public cleanliness, teamwork, and cooperation. The overall aim of ECCE will be to attain optimal outcomes in the domains of: physical and motor development, cognitive development, socioemotional- ethical development, cultural/artistic development, and the development of communication and early language, literacy, and numeracy.

The Foundation Stage is for children of ages between 3 and 8. Children start schooling in the Foundational Stage. The design is based on the principles of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). NEP 2020 states:

a. Curricular Structure:

The Foundational Stage curriculum of the NCF is divided into domains that are closely linked to the developmental domains of the child — Physical Development, Socio-emotional-ethical Development, Cognitive Development, Language and Literacy Development, and Aesthetic and Cultural Development. The mother tongue is emphasised for language and literacy development and to ease, and make more effective, learning in other domains as well. The five domains of development are also informed by the Panchakosha imagination.

b. Content:

Textbooks are used only from Grade 1 and most of the content consists of concrete materials — toys, puzzles, and manipulatives. Along with these materials, learning experiences organised through physical exploration of the classroom and outdoor space becomes the most appropriate content. In later years of this Stage, worksheets can start playing a bigger role. Children"s literature is a very important source of content for language and literacy development.

c. Pedagogy:

The pedagogical approach suggested is play based and emphasises the nurturing, caring relationships between the Teacher and the children. The pedagogical design should allow for a balance between self-paced individual learning to a more social group-based learning. Development of foundational capacities in literacy and numeracy would require systematic guidance from the Teacher as well as adequate time for the child to practise and repeat on their own. Whole class instruction should be balanced with time for children to work on their own, either with materials or with worksheets.

d. Assessments:

Most assessments are observations made by Teachers and not explicit testing of abilities of students. Worksheets used by children can give information to Teachers about progress in learning. opportunities for engaging their natural curiosity and exploration. Classroom arrangements should reflect this need of the children and should not restrict their movement, e.g., through the placement of play/activity/learning corners that keep the centre of the room free and open.

f. Teachers:

Since the relationship between children and the Teacher is critical for this Stage, the same Teacher would engage in all the domains and there would not be any subject/ domain-specific Teacher. The Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) is also expected to be lower since individual attention and assessment through observation are necessary. The Foundational Stage bridges the divide between the home environment of the child and the formal school environment. It develops capacities in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy that enable the student to learn all other subject areas. In addition to these capacities, it develops valuable dispositions for active learning and enables students to become engaged learners in formal school environments. Play and exploration are the natural modes through which children learn and the Foundational Stage utilises these modes to promote valuable capacities and dispositions.

PREPARATORY STAGE

The duration of the Preparatory Stage is three years and includes Grades 3, 4, and 5. The Preparatory Stage will comprise three years of education, building on the play, discovery, and activity-based pedagogical and curricular style of the Foundational Stage, but also gradually beginning to incorporate textbooks as well as aspects of more formal classroom learning. There would mostly be generalist teachers during this stage, with the possible exception of some specialist language and art teachers (who may be shared across the school or school complex). The aim of this stage will be to lay the general groundwork across subjects, including reading, writing, speaking, physical education, art, languages, science, and mathematics, so that students are prepared to delve deeper into learning areas through specialised subjects and subject teachers in the stages that follow.

a. Curricular Structure:

The Preparatory Stage curriculum of the NCF is divided into the following Curricular Areas–at least two Languages, Mathematics, Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and The World Around Us. The World Around Us is an interdisciplinary area that encourages exploration and understanding of both the natural world and the social world. Aspects of work in Vocational Education are also incorporated into this Curricular Area. The preparation is largely focussed on capacities and dispositions at this Stage.

b. Content:

Textbooks start playing a bigger role in the areas of Language and Mathematics. A variety of children"s literature should complement the Language textbook to consolidate students" literacy capacities. Materials and manipulatives continue to play a role in Mathematics, though emphasis shifts to symbolic representation in correspondence with concrete materials. The World Around Us should rely less on the textbook and more on experiential learning with physical exploration as the main source of content. The content needs to be within the familiar contexts of the student.

c. Pedagogy:

Activity– and discovery-based pedagogy continues in this Stage, gradually encouraging students to be active within a formal classroom arrangement. The ability to concentrate and pay continuous attention to classroom lectures and discussions needs to be encouraged. Some proportion of the self-paced individual work should be part of the classroom activity, while some amount of homework can be included.

d. Assessments:

Assessments in this Stage are a combination of observation of students" activity, correcting their worksheets, and short, formal written evaluations. Periodic summative assessments should supplement the more frequent formative assessments.

e. Classroom Arrangement:

The classroom setting is a balance between a formal environment and an arrangement that encourages movement and exploration. Students sitting and working in groups should be encouraged.

f. Teachers:

Teachers continue to be generalists and teach across Curricular Areas. For Art and Physical Education and Well-being, specialists from the school complexes can be invited for the development of specific capacities and skills, but the Class Teacher should continue to be present and mediate these interactions with the students. The Preparatory Stage consolidates the capacities and dispositions that begin to develop in the Foundational Stage. Students are expected to develop fluency in literacy and numeracy and develop further capacities that are helpful in a systematic exploration of the natural and social worlds around them.

MIDDLE STAGE

The duration of the Middle Stage is also three years and includes Grades 6, 7, and 8. The Middle Stage will comprise three years of education, building on the pedagogical and curricular style of the Preparatory Stage, but with the introduction of subject teachers for learning and discussion of the more abstract concepts in each subject that students will be ready for at this stage across the sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences, and humanities. Experiential learning within each subject, and explorations of relations among different subjects, will be encouraged and emphasized despite the introduction of more specialised subjects and subject teachers.

a. Curricular Structure:

The Middle Stage expands the Curricular Areas to include Science (i.e., the study of the physical and natural world) and Social Science (i.e., the study of the human world), and students also get exposure to Vocational Education. Based on the capacities and dispositions in the Preparatory Stage, students engage more formally with knowledge and values in the Middle Stage. Curricular Areas are dealt with as "forms of understanding" with explicit engagement with paradigmatic theories and conceptual structures that frame each area. The more generic capacities (such as observation and data collection) developed in the Preparatory Stage are now specialised into specific methods of inquiry that are appropriate for each form of understanding. For example, students gain an understanding of the methods of inquiry in Science and also contrast them with the methods of inquiry in History or in the Arts. The conventions and protocols of each form of understanding are also introduced in the Middle Stage.

b. Content:

The content in the Middle Stage needs to reflect the engagement with theoretical concepts and the introduction of theories and conceptual frameworks specific to each form of understanding. There is a shift to more abstract ideas and the students are expected to engage with unfamiliar contexts and situations. The textbooks begin to play a central role in mediating the content in the Middle Stage. Both the expansion of Curricular Areas and the engagement with abstract ideas and unfamiliar contexts could be challenging for students. Well-designed textbooks with clear expectations and specific learning goals would support students in entering these forms of understanding in a structured and systematic manner.

c. Pedagogy:

Pedagogy is a judicious balance of direct instruction and opportunities for exploration and inquiry. As mentioned before, the expansion of content areas and the abstract nature of theories place a heavier cognitive demand on students. The focus on concept development indicates that the Teacher must pay attention to the prior concepts that students might already have and how to use those concepts to bring about active learning. The emphasis is not on accumulating facts, but on becoming fluent in the methods of inquiry within each form of understanding.

d. Assessments:

Assessments can become more formal and explicit. The focus of assessments should be on the specific ways of reasoning within each form of understanding and not primarily on the recall of facts. Formal tests and examinations play a role with the expectation that students can process larger chunks of information together for analysis and synthesis. Periodic summative assessments should again supplement the more frequent formative assessments.

e. Classroom Arrangement:

The classroom is increasingly a formal space allowing for group work and peer interactions. Subject-specific classrooms become effective when equipped with appropriate TLMs and other resources.

f. Teachers:

Subject-specific Teachers handle different Curricular Areas in this Stage. Teachers need a profound understanding of the Curricular Area in terms of vertical connections of concepts within the subject and horizontal connections with concepts in other areas. Students of this age benefit from engaging with a diverse set of adults who have their own personalities and interests. Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Vocational Education can have visiting faculty who have specialised knowledge and skills. The Middle Stage utilises the capacities and dispositions developed during the Preparatory Stage and introduces the students to different forms of understanding. Students gain systematic knowledge through rational thought and enquiry. The capacities for critical thinking and problem solving are consolidated in this Stage and they acquire the desirable values and dispositions for democratic/economic/cultural participation.

SECONDARY STAGE

NEP 2020 – Considerations

a. No Hard Separation.

NEP 2020 gives clear mandate to move away from the current practice of streaming into Science, Arts/Humanities, and Commerce. Instead, students can choose subjects across Curricular Areas. Thus, the Secondary Stage design should enable both breadth through engagement with a variety of subjects across streams –including Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Vocational Education – as well as depth in areas chosen by students.

a.b. Breadth and Depth.

Students should have breadth and depth across multiple disciplines and depth in chosen subjects.

c. Choice and Flexibility.

Students should have flexibility and choice across subjects and Curricular Areas.

d. Reduced Content Load.

Curriculum content will be reduced in each subject to its core essentials, to make space for critical thinking and more holistic, inquiry-based, discovery based, discussion-based, and analysis-based learning.

e. Reduced Exam Pressures.

Board exams will also be made easier, in the sense that they will test primarily core capacities/competencies rather than months of coaching and memorization.

Curricular Structure

a. To enable the vision of NEP 2020, the Secondary Stage will be designed in two phases, Grades 9 and 10, and Grades 11 and 12. In Grades 9 and 10, students engage with a breadth of curriculum across Curricular Areas. In Grades 11 and 12, more specialisations andchoices are available to students while still maintaining significant breadth.

b. Grades 9 and 10 will ensure breadth, building on the learning achieved in the Middle Stage with clear continuity between the two stages.

i. Study 3 Languages– R1, R2, R3–at least two of which are native to India Study 7 subjects – Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Social Science, Science, Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, Vocational Education, and Interdisciplinary Areas. Each of these subjects will be a well-integrated and coherent study of multiple disciplines; for example, in Science—Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science. Again, the emphasis would be on learning core concepts/competencies rather than the memorisation of facts.

ii. Learning Standards for these subjects are articulated in the corresponding Curricular Areas for this phase in this NCF, and it is expected that all students attain these Learning Standards.

iii. All Secondary Schools will need to offer 3 Languages as well as all the 7 subjects, so that all students are able to complete Grade 10. Out of these, Art, Physical Education and Well-being, and Vocational Education would be examined locally.

c. Grades 11 and 12 will enable depth of study based on choices that students make. i. To ensure that students have a depth of learning across a range of human knowledge, students will have to:

1) Choose two Languages from Group 1, at least one of which is native to India. 2) Choose four subjects (with an optional fifth subject) from at least two of the following groups:

• Group 2: Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, Vocational Education

• Group 3: Social Science and Humanities, Interdisciplinary Areas

• Group 4: Science, Mathematics & Computational Thinking

These Groups have been created to address the requirement of breadth of study in NEP 2020, which is why there is a requirement to choose subjects from at least two groups. In the longer term, as schools develop the requisite capacity, it will be desirable for students to have to take subjects from all three Groups above to develop well-rounded thinking.
(For more details on Groups, Curricular Areas, and Subjects The following are some of the key considerations for designing the subject courses in Grades 11 and 12).
1) In the case of subjects based on academic disciplines, the intent would be to give adequate exposure to the key conceptual structures and theories of the discipline and develop capacities of inquiry in that discipline. The students would develop an understanding of how this discipline behind the subject fits within the Curricular Area and the open questions that the discipline is currently engaging with. This would enable students to make informed decisions about the pursuit of this discipline in higher education or to study it on their own.
2) In case of Interdisciplinary Areas, a very wide range of subjects can be offered. Art Education can offer specific forms of art as subjects, while Physical Education and Well-being can offer specialisations based on practices such as Yoga. In the case of vocational areas, the subject should equip students to enter the world of work in a particular vocation. Contemporary subjects, such as Artificial Intelligence, Design Thinking, Holistic Health, Organic Living, and Global Citizenship Education, as recommended by NEP 2020 can be offered as courses in appropriate Groups.
3) This NCF states the broad aims for the Curricular Areas and does not specify the Learning Standards for Grades 11 and 12 that must be achieved in each subject. These have to be articulated specifically in terms of Competencies and Learning Outcomes for each subject by syllabus developers. However, this NCF has specific illustrations of a few disciplines
4) Since students would have a wide choice, syllabus/course designers of subjects should not assume that students would choose a complementing subject. For example, the Biology courses in Grade 11 and 12 cannot be designed on the assumption that students are enrolled in Chemistry in their Grade 11 and 12.
5) Subjects can be offered at different levels. For example, there can be a Basic Mathematics subject as well as Advanced Mathematics. Students will be given the choice of opting for different levels.
ii. Students are expected to make their choices on the basis of their passions and interests, and their future plans either in the world of work or in higher education after their school completion.

Implications for Schools and Boards of Examination

a. For Phase 1: Grades 9 and 10 i. Schools should offer all the ten subjects required for 10th grade certification
b. For Phase 2: Grades 11 and 12
i. Schools should offer a minimum of 2 Languages. ii. Schools should, at a minimum, offer subjects from at least two Groups amongst Groups 2, 3 and 4. iii. In 5 years, schools should offer subjects from all four Groups. iv. Within 10 years, many more subjects should be offered within Groups to give more choice and flexibility to students and all Curricular Areas should be covered.
c. Boards of examination
i. Boards of examination should offer all subjects for Grade 10.
ii. For Grade 12, Boards should not restrict students to choose subjects within streams (such as Science or Commerce), and instead allow flexibility to choose from different Groups.
iii. A wide range of examinations for different subjects within Groups should be designed to increase choice and flexibility for students and schools.
iv. Subject examinations at different levels (e.g., basic and advanced) should be offered.
v. Processes for empanelling external examiners for Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Vocational Education should be defined.
vi. Board examinations should be made easier, in the sense that they test primarily core capacities/competencies rather than months of coaching and memorisation.

Implementation in Phases

The NCF 2023 aims to respond meaningfully to the recommendations of NEP 2020 in giving more flexibility and choice to students and not creating hard separations between disciplines. Along with these responses, the Curricular Areas of Art Education, Physical Education and Wellbeing, Vocational Education, and Interdisciplinary Areas have received additional attention. In order to fully realise the vision of NEP 2020 in a practical manner, the NCF 2023 recommends a phased approach towards implementing the curriculum.

a. Schools and Examination Boards should be prepared to offer and assess all the ten Curricular Areas for Grade 10 right from the beginning of the implementation of this NCF.
b. Schools and Examinations Boards should be prepared to offer a minimum of two Languages for Grade 12 from the beginning of the implementation of this NCF.
c. Schools should be prepared to offer subjects from at least two Groups amongst Groups 2, 3, and 4, immediately. Within 5 years, schools should be ready to offer subjects from all the four Groups. Within 10 years, schools should offer many more subjects covering all Curricular Areas.
d. The Secondary Stage has been divided into two phases –Grades 9 and 10, and Grades 11 and 12. In 10 years, all school systems should move to a single unified stage for secondary, where students have choice and flexibility with breadth right from Grade 9 through 12 thus realising the NEP vision of the Secondary Stage as being ‘four years of multidisciplinary study’.
e. The current system of study in annual patterns should move to a semester design. This would allow for greater flexibility in design of courses.
f. In ten years, Boards of Examination should be prepared to offer certification through easier modular examinations —that each test far less material and are taken immediately after the course is taken in school —in order to eliminate the need for studying large amounts of material at once and to thereby further reduce coaching culture and the need for coaching.

Content

For Grades 9 and 10, textbooks can continue to be an important source of content. For Grades 11 and 12, each semester-long course can have its own specific course compendium. At this Stage, a variety of content addressing specific concepts and methods of inquiry should be made available to Teachers and the Teachers should choose appropriate content packages to meet the Learning Objectives of the courses.

Pedagogy

Pedagogy, at this Stage, should take into consideration the knowledge and capacities that students will bring from the previous stages of schooling. The pedagogy should encourage more self-study and exploration, with a focus on becoming fluent in the methods of inquiry specific to the Curricular Area. At this stage, students can be reasonably expected to become independent learners and the pedagogy in the classroom should reflect this expectation. Classroom interactions should be a judicious mix of more direct instruction from the Teacher with discussion, seminars for discussion, exploration and discovery, and opportunities for students to prepare individual and group projects and present key concepts of the discipline.

Assessment

a. Grades 9 and 10 i. Students must successfully pass Board examinations at the end of Grade 10. These examinations are conducted by the respective Boards of examinations with central evaluation. These examinations should assess the Competencies defined in the Learning Standards for each Curricular Area:
1) The Languages Curricular Area would have 3 examinations — for R1, R2, and R3.
2) The Curricular Areas of Mathematics and Computational Thinking, Science, Social Science, and Interdisciplinary Areas would have one examination each adding to 4 examinations.
ii. Assessment schemes (question papers) for Art, Physical Education and Well-being, and Vocational Education can be prepared by the appropriate Board of examinations, and both the assessment and evaluation can be done locally at the school level with external examiners.
iii. Boards must offer these examinations multiple times (each being a cycle) in the same academic year – and students’ final certification must be on the basis of their best performance across these cycles, including taking the best performance from different Curricular Areas from different cycles within three academic years.
b. Grades 11 and 12 i. To complete Grade 12, students should pass the following Board examinations: 1) 2 examinations in Languages, at least one of which is native to India. These Languages may or may not be continuations of R1, R2, or R3 – for example, they may be a specialised literature class in R1, R2, or R3, or a new Indian Language (such as Sanskrit or classical Tamil) and/or a foreign language.
2) 4 examinations from at least 2 Groups (plus an optional 5th exam):
Group 2: Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, Vocational Education
Group 3: Social Science, Interdisciplinary Areas
Group 4: Science, Mathematics and Computational Thinking
ii. The mode of conducting examinations should be liberalised in due course from the rigid annual examinations. Modular Examinations can be offered by Boards as opposed to a single examination at the end of the year. These can be offered at different times of the year. In due course, Boards of examinations should develop capacities to offer on demand examinations. The final certification will be based on the cumulative result of each of the examinations.
iii. Assessment schemes (question papers) for Art Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Vocational Education can be prepared by the appropriate Board of examinations, and both the assessment and evaluation can be done locally at the school level with external examiners.

Classroom Arrangement

The classroom arrangement should take into consideration that students are expected to be more independent learners. The physical arrangement should facilitate group discussions and explorations. Laboratory spaces can be utilised for science classrooms, with adequate safety precautions, instead of separating the sites of learning theory and practice. Dedicated classrooms for specific subjects are very effective at this stage, where the classrooms are equipped with the necessary TLMs. 2.3.4.9 Teachers Teachers at this stage must be subject specialists with deep understanding and interest in the discipline. Art Education and Physical Education and Well-being would need specialists who are able to teach theory and practice both.