The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is all set to introduce a dual-level system for science and social science subjects in classes IX and X, from the 2026-27 academic session. This will follow the same pattern as that of Mathematics, where students can opt for either ‘standard’ or ‘basic’. The aim is to ease the academic pressure and cater to diversified learning abilities so that every student can pursue subjects as per his strength and as per his aspirations for his future.

But this new two-tier system has in itself a number of difficulties. Experts have pointed out several hurdles such as not having NCERT textbooks in sufficient numbers, inadequate classroom facilities, and the need for more trained faculty, especially in rural areas. A CBSE source revealed that the initiative is still in the planning phase and that a formal framework is yet to be established. A consultative meeting with various stakeholders will soon take place to finalize the details of the two-level system. Based on the feedback from these discussions, CBSE will decide on the implementation strategy, which will include whether two sets of textbooks with varying difficulty levels or two types of question papers for the same syllabus will be required.

The two level system was first brought about Mathematics in the 2019-20 academic session whereby the students were at their own discretion to decide for the ‘standard’ or ‘basic’ level that has the same syllabus for both but which one of them is different due to the examination toughness. The scheme turned out to be effective as over 15 lakh students selected the standard level for 2023-24, and nearly 7 lakh students selected the basic level. In 2022-23 itself, over 15.8 lakh students were recorded at the standard level whereas nearly 6.8 lakh students selected the basic level. This framework has made Mathematics accessible to the students, with the scope of providing flexibility for the students who pursue advanced streams like engineering and also gives an opportunity to the student to gain basic knowledge in case the student finds the subject to be difficult.

The two-tier system supports the policy of NEP 2020, which calls for curricular flexibility across disciplines. This, Pavanesh Kumar, former controller of examinations at CBSE, says, is only a natural extension of how the policy focuses on diversified needs of students. Students preparing for competitive exams such as JEE would concentrate on standard-level subjects. Those interested in pursuing arts can get foundational knowledge from the basic level. This two-tier system in social science seems a logical step, more so since CBSE reaches over 21 countries, and students there may not be interested in the in-depth study of Indian history.

The success of the Maths dual-level system has encouraged CBSE to expand this system to science and social science subjects. The details of the system in these subjects will be contingent on the textbooks, to be designed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), that are working to adjust their textbooks in line with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. However, while textbooks for classes IV, V, VII, and VIII will be available for the 2025-26 session, material for classes I, II, III, and V has already been implemented. However, textbooks for core Maths have yet to be devised, leaving teachers uncertain how the two-tier system is going to work in science and social science. ITL Public School principal in New Delhi, Sudha Acharya, emphasized that the dual-level system can only work if the relevant textbooks and other teaching-learning resources are available in time and cater to the differentiated learning needs of the students.

Oppositions to the new reforms exist too, as can be noted from educators such as Zita Jose, principal of Hill Blooms School in Kerala. Jose feels that introducing such a system at too early stages of students’ careers is not very wise. She believes that children are not yet mature enough for specialization and that the present system, where the basic paper is almost as challenging as the standard paper, fails to achieve its intended goal of simplifying the subject. According to Jose, the curriculum should focus on inspiring young minds rather than creating divisions in knowledge that may dilute the quality of education.

Despite these challenges, many educators believe that the two-level system has the capacity to improve learning outcomes. According to Acharya, the system makes the school environment more inclusive by creating two levels of difficulty for students. The standard level will focus on advanced concepts and application-based assessments; it will encourage critical thinking and deeper analysis. For instance, social science students in the standard level may interact with case studies and historical evaluation, whereas basic-level students will focus on simplified events and key facts. The same goes for science students, whereby assessments at standard level require conceptual understanding and experimental knowledge, while basic level focuses on practical application and basic principles.

In all, despite the logistic issues presented by a dual-level system for science and social science subjects, the potential for it to provide a more inclusive, flexible, and student-centered approach to learning may mark a giant step forward for the Indian education system. It will be up to the final implementation based on how effectively the framework and resources are developed in the years ahead.