The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will try out an international curriculum (CBSE-i) in 100 schools across the country from the next academic year.

The curriculum will encourage community service by students in association with an NGO from Class I and focus on research from Class IV.

“We had plans to run CBSE International on a pilot basis in 50 schools. With 450 schools eager to join, we have decided to bring in 100 schools under the new curriculum,” said CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi.

CBSE-I would help students to pursue higher studies abroad and interact meaningfully with global markets in 29 schools in the Middle East and South-Asia. Educationists are, however, skeptical about the move.

“CBSE is trying to implement what is already part of the National Curriculum Framework. With increasing number of children coming from nuclear families, where everything is child-centric, schools now have the added responsibility of developing social consciousness among students.

Also research activity, if implemented consciously and cautiously, can mould a child’s future. But care has to be taken to ensure that these don’t turn out to be fancy ideas that remain only on paper,” said RVG Menon.

Educationist Meena Vishwanathan said: “Social consciousness must be cultivated from early childhood. Of what use is the knowledge of subject matter and life skills, if children are not socially conscious?” TOI

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Tags: cbse i international, cbsc i pilot school, cbse-i in indian school