CBSE Students to Learn Data Science, Coding from Class 6

Coding will now be a skill module for Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) students. The CBSE has added coding as a 12-hour skill module in Classes VI-VII beginning in the academic year 2021-22. According to the CBSE, the goal is to make coding learning easier by encouraging design thinking, logical flow of ideas, and cross-disciplinary application.

The board believed that laying a strong foundation in the early years would help students develop skills in artificial intelligence, data science, and other fields. The CBSE said in a circular distributed to a group of teachers that faculty and student handbooks were written with Microsoft's help so that students can work on applicable projects, integrate coding across many courses, and make learning interesting.

It was stated that the guidebook would cover real-life coding examples, provide exposure to coding ethics, and give exercises and applications using the open-source MakeCode platform. Data science is being offered as a 12-hour skill module in Class VIII and as a skilled topic in Classes IX to XII, in addition to coding. The content for this was created with Microsoft's help.

The CBSE has developed new skill modules and disciplines to meet with the guidelines of the new National Education Policy 2020 and to encourage and develop skills among students. The CBSE currently offers nine skills modules at the middle school level, 18 skills courses at the secondary level, and 38 skills courses at the senior secondary level.

For the introduction of new skill topics at the senior secondary level, the board has decided to forgo the application fee. Schools that want to offer skill topics in Class XI can do so without having to pay the CBSE fee.

To ensure consistency in the distribution of marks for all skill subjects offered at the senior secondary level, the CBSE decided that from the academic session 2021-22 for Class XI, the marks distribution for all skill subjects offered at the senior secondary level would be 60 marks for theory, including 10 marks for employability skills, and 40 marks for practicals and projects.

However, for the current Class XII, i.e., the session 2021-22, there will be no changes in mark distribution. According to the CBSE, the revised mark distribution will be implemented for Class XII beginning in the academic year 2022-23.