New Delhi: The CBSE has clarified the examination structure for Class 10 board exams in 2028, and students will sit five compulsory board subjects while choosing one vocational option from a list of 22 skill subjects or a school-based alternative called Kaushal Vikas.

The clarification came on Thursday in a communique to school principals from Praggya M Singh, Director (Academics) at the Central Board of Secondary Education. It applies specifically to students who are in Class 9 in 2026-27 and will appear for their Class 10 board exams in 2028. Students currently in the Class 10 batch are not affected.

Five subjects for boards, nine compulsory overall

Under the new scheme, the five compulsory board-examination subjects will be two languages, mathematics, science and social science. Students will still study nine compulsory curricular subjects in total. The list includes a third language, art education, physical education and well-being, and vocational education.

The board also confirmed that the interdisciplinary area and the computational thinking (CT) and artificial intelligence (AI) modules will not be part of the Scheme of Studies. The CBSE said the subject ‘Individuals in Society’ and the ‘Modules of CT and AI’ in Class 9 (2026-27), along with the subject ‘Environmental Education’ in Class 10 (2027-28), will not be part of the curriculum for these batches. The stated reason is to align the introduction of this curricular area with the implementation schedule.

The vocational choice that decides the exam path

Vocational education remains compulsory, and that is where the biggest decision lands. Students must choose either ‘Kaushal Vikas’ or any one of the 22 skill subjects notified by the board. The notified list includes artificial intelligence, data science, information technology, financial markets, healthcare and design thinking.

“To fulfil this requirement, students may opt for either the subject ‘Kaushal Vikas’ or any one of the 22 skill subjects notified by the board,” Praggya M Singh said.

The two pathways are sharply different. Students who opt for any of the 22 skill subjects will have to take a Class 10 board examination in that subject during 2027-28. The marks and grades will appear in the marksheet issued by the board, following existing practice. Successful candidates will also receive a certificate under the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF).

Students who choose ‘Kaushal Vikas’ take a different route. They will undergo school-based internal assessment and receive a school certificate if they secure at least 33 per cent marks. They will not have to appear for the subject in the board examination.

Why the skill subject option matters for worried families

The CBSE also said a skill subject can help students clear the examination even if they fail in mathematics, science or social science. That detail is likely to draw close attention from parents who have worried about core subjects shaping their children’s futures. It also means the choice of vocational subject now carries more weight than many families may have expected.

The board framed the circular as a way to give the current Class 9 cohort clear guidance well ahead of time. A source in the board said the aim was to safeguard students’ interests by communicating academic and examination provisions early.

“Our foremost priority is to safeguard students’ interests by clearly communicating the academic and examination-related provisions well in advance,” a source said.

The source added that the emphasis is on encouraging students to focus on meaningful learning rather than solely on examinations. That message sits uneasily with a scheme where a single vocational pick can decide whether a student sits a board exam in an unfamiliar subject, or stays on a school-assessed track.

What students and parents should do now

For Class 9 students heading into 2026-27, the immediate task is to understand the difference between the two vocational routes. A student who picks a skill subject like artificial intelligence, data science or financial markets will face a board exam in that field. A student who picks Kaushal Vikas will be assessed inside the school and needs 33 per cent to receive the school certificate.

Parents should also note what has been dropped. The CT and AI modules and the interdisciplinary area are not part of the Scheme of Studies, and Environmental Education in Class 10 (2027-28) will not be part of the curriculum for these batches. Schools will need to pass this information to students clearly, because the rules apply to a specific cohort and not to the batch currently in Class 10.

The CBSE has not released further details in the communique on how many students will choose each pathway. Until schools publish their own guidance, the 22 notified skill subjects and the Kaushal Vikas option will be the decisions that define the next two years of Class 10 for this batch.