Maharashtra’s School Education Department has approved the provisions of the State Curriculum Framework (Basic Level) 2024, as well as the State Curriculum Framework (Advanced Level) 2024, prepared by the State Council of Educational Research And Training, Pune, Maharashtra for implementation in a phased manner with suitable changes. Although the National Education Policy 2020 will come into force with the new curriculum by 2028-29, special efforts should be made to implement the curriculum before the said period. The new curriculum for children aged 3 to 6 years of Anganwadi in the State from the academic year 2025-26 has been framed with the concurrence of the Department of Women and Child Development.

 

The curriculum and syllabus for the State is being prepared by the State Education Reform and Training Council, Pune, Maharashtra on the basis of the National Education Policy - 2020 and the State Curriculum Framework, keeping in mind the State. The final text material of the relevant level would be made available to Bal Bharati within the stipulated time for preparation. Till the books are ready, State Education Reform and Training Council, Pune, Maharashtra, is expected to prepare a bridge curriculum for all the classes concerned and it should be used in all the years as required. The Heads of Departments concerned and subject experts of the State Council for Educational Reform and Training will be involved in the preparation of textbooks for Bal Bharati from time to time. The State Educational Reform and Training Council, Maharashtra, Pune will verify whether the said textbooks meet the specified learning objectives and are suitable for implementation.

 

The textbooks can be implemented only after the approval of the State-level Coordination Committee. As per the implementation schedule, the Maharashtra State Textbook Production and Curriculum Reform Board, Balbharti, Pune will be responsible for making the grade-wise textbooks available in all the necessary media. For Standard 1, the implementation will start from 2025-26 and will end in the year 2028 covering students of Class XII. First phase will focus on children aged three to eight, covering kindergarten, pre-primary, and Std I and Std II. In the pre-preparation level, the students aged 8 to 11, covering Class 3, 4 and 5 will be focused. In the Pre-Secondary level, the students of Class 6, 7 and 8 will be covered, while in secondary level, the students of Class 9, 10, 11 and 12 will be covered. The phase will conclude in 2028. After introducing NEP for undergraduate courses in the 2023-24 academic year, the State Government has been contemplating introduction in school education.

 

The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has developed a State Curriculum Framework based on the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) guidelines, outlining academic competencies. The NEP introduced a ‘5+3+3+4’ school education structure, replacing the traditional 10+2 system. The new curriculum will be at par with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) pattern. Presently, in State Board courses, there is not much flexibility for students. With the implementation of NEP, the students will witness flexibility. NEP has introduced Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) as a subject to be included in the curriculum of Class 3 to Class 5, while most other subjects remain consistent. Social Science will be the one subject with History, Civics, and Geography to be integrated. The Art Education and Pre-Vocational Skills course will be introduced from Std VI to Std VIII. For Std IX and Std X, new subjects such as Art Education, Vocational Skills, Social Personalities, and Environmental Education will be included, expanding the curriculum to a total of 10 subjects.