CBSE mandates AI and computational thinking training for 2026–27; new curriculum rolled out for Classes 3–8

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has formally notified “Computational Thinking (CT) and Understanding Artificial Intelligence (AI)” as the training theme for the academic session 2026–27. This has been taken as per the guidelines laid down in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023.

This clearly reflects an attempt to incorporate new-age technological concepts into school education curriculum along with teacher training.

New curriculum introduced for Classes 3 to 8

A notable change in the academic domain has been introduced by the Central Board of Secondary Education with the introduction of a specialized course on “Computational Thinking and Artificial Intelligence,” which will be conducted from Class 3 to Class 8, starting with the year 2026-27.

The curriculum aims at enhancing basic competencies like logical thinking, problem-solving, and pattern identification skills. Additionally, the curriculum also helps students get acquainted with the use of artificial intelligence responsibly and ethically.

Teacher training anchored around seven key themes

CBSE has provided a well-defined training module for the successful implementation of the same. The training would include sub-topics like understanding of CT and AI, inter-disciplinary approach, pedagogy, application, assessment, and ethics.

The Board is keen that the training module should be implemented such that teachers learn to integrate these topics into different disciplines, including Math, Science, Social Science, and languages, and not treat AI as a separate subject.

District workshops and school-level activities planned

As part of the rollout, CBSE has directed schools to organise district-level deliberations and workshops on CT and AI. These will be conducted as one-day offline sessions, focusing on sharing best practices and building teacher capacity.

Schools have also been encouraged to collaborate through Sahodaya School Complexes or groups of institutions. Participation in these workshops will count towards Continuous Professional Development (CPD) hours, and records will need to be maintained.

Selected presentations from these sessions may be shortlisted for national-level evaluation, with top entries expected to be showcased at a future National Teachers Conference.

Expert-led sessions and digital learning to supplement training

In addition to workshops, CBSE has proposed expert-led talks to be conducted by designated lead schools. These sessions may be organised in online or offline formats and will involve internal or external experts.

The Board has also highlighted the use of digital learning resources, including educational broadcasts on DD PM e-Vidya Channel CBSE 15, to support ongoing teacher training and student engagement.

Regional orientation programmes through centres of excellence

CBSE’s Centres of Excellence (CoEs) will conduct regional workshops and orientation programmes as part of the broader training plan. Teachers can participate through an online registration process, with a prescribed fee, and will receive CPD credits upon completion. The schedule for these programmes is expected to be released shortly.

Focus on integration, skills, and responsible AI use

As per CBSE, the initiative is meant to provide a nurturing atmosphere wherein computational thinking and the use of AI can be seamlessly incorporated into daily pedagogic processes. This initiative will make sure that teachers get an opportunity to formulate practical and interdisciplinary tasks and allow students to study areas including coding, data science, and mathematics.

The focus on using the AI technology responsibly will also continue, whereby CBSE schools would be required to acquaint their students about issues related to technology and its social implications.

CBSE has appealed to all its affiliated schools to participate in the initiative by nominating teachers who may benefit from the scheduled training workshops.

Here is the link to the official notice.

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