CBSE to reintroduce communicative English, Sanskrit for Class 9, 10

NEW DELHI: In line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to reintroduce the communicative English and Sanskrit “from the academic year 2022-23 in class 9 and subsequently in class 10 in the year 2023-24”.

The board was offering these languages at two levels -- communicative and core -- before discontinuing the communicative option in the academic session 2018-19. While communicative options in language courses offer content about communication skills and day-to-day language usage, core courses focus on poetry, dramas, and concept based reading and writing.

In a letter addressed to the principals of all its affiliated schools, CBSE director (Academics) Joseph Emmanuel said, “In pursuance to recommendation of National Education Policy 2020 regarding availability of all subjects and corresponding assessments at two levels as per the needs and interest of stu“We dents, CBSE is planning to offer English and Sanskrit at two levels from the academic year 2022-23 in class 9 and subsequently in class 10 in the year 2023-24...”.

The letter dated August 3 was shared with the principals last week.

“As NEP stresses on using an approach to learning that highlights the importance of real life contexts and enabling students to apply their knowledge in real life scenarios, communicative approach to languages would certainly develop the student’s competence to communicate in the target language (communicative competence), with an enhanced focus on real-life situations,” Emmanuel added.

The National Education Policy was approved by the Union cabinet in July last year.

Several principals welcomed the move. “This decision... will not only promote more application-based understanding of languages, but also provide maximum choices to students as advocated by the NEP,” said Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School in Rohini.