The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is planning to implement a two-level structure for science and social science subjects for students in Classes 9 and 10, starting from the 2026–2027 academic session. This initiative follows the Board’s earlier introduction of two levels of mathematics (Standard and Basic) for Class 10 students in the 2019–20 academic year.

The move has already been decided upon by the CBSE curriculum council, but the final approval lies with the governing body of the Board, which is its highest decision-making authority, according to The Indian Express. The system proposes offering the students the option of standard or advanced levels of science and social science, aligning with NEP 2020, which advocates for flexibility in subject difficulty levels to reduce academic pressure and the culture of coaching.
Implementation Framework Still Awaiting Finalization
While the decision to bring in these levels has been made, the details of how it would be implemented are not clear. For example, it has not been decided whether separate textbooks, additional study material, or longer hours of studies would be provided to those students who opt for advanced level. The CBSE is said to be waiting for the release of new textbooks by NCERT that are based on the latest version of NCF.

Currently, NCERT has released new textbooks for Classes 1 and 2 (last year) and for Classes 3 and 6 (this year). The remaining textbooks for other grades are expected to be rolled out in phases, with several slated for release in early 2025. This timeline suggests that the structural details of the advanced and standard levels for science and social science may depend on how these new materials are designed.

Structure Inspired by Mathematics Levels
The proposed two-level system for science and social science draws inspiration from the already existing dual-level structure in mathematics, which was introduced in 2019. The students who opt for Mathematics (Standard) and Mathematics (Basic) follow the same syllabus, but the question papers at the Board exam are of different difficulty levels.

This has been followed with great success, as evidence in the 2023–24 academic year when more than 15.88 lakh students enroll for Mathematics (Standard), versus 6.79 lakh under Mathematics (Basic). The choices would enable students to determine their study preferences according to what they are capable of and by which they would wish their future academic pursuits, for which the Board intends further expansion into science and the social sciences.

Objectives and Potential Benefits
The primary objective of introducing two levels for science and social science is to allow students with the capability and interest to study these subjects in greater depth before advancing to Class 11. This change is expected to provide students with a more tailored academic experience, catering to individual learning needs and aspirations.

To ensure that the students make the right decisions, the Board will most probably allow them a fixed period to change between standard and advanced levels. Advanced-level students can be given additional learning resources or separate textbooks with more challenging problems and concepts. Board exams for these levels may have entirely different question papers or separate sections in the same paper for distinguishing between the two levels.

Alignment with National Education Policy 2020
The two-tier approach is very much in line with the NEP 2020, which seeks to reduce pressure on students by providing flexibility in academic learning. The policy states that subjects and their assessments could be provided at two levels, where students could study some subjects at the standard level and others at the advanced level, depending on their strengths and interests.

The NEP is targeting the academic and mental well-being of students by reducing stress that comes with uniform assessments. Options would help the student focus on their strong subjects while managing others at a comfortable pace.

New Textbooks and the Road Ahead
This depends on when the new NCERT books based on the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE), 2023 become available. Books for Class 1, 2, 3, and 6 are already out, whereas for Classes 4, 5, 7, and 8 for the 2025-26 academic session. Higher-grade textbooks will soon be up for review, and the country is expected to have all the texts rewritten for all grades by January 2026, said Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Conclusion
Introducing two levels of science and social science for Classes 9 and 10, CBSE is making a huge step towards a flexible and inclusive education system. This move will not only relieve academic pressure but also empower the students to perform better in their chosen subjects. This move by the Board while finalizing the framework and awaiting the updated textbooks by NCERT promises to redefine the learning experience for millions of students across India.