NEW DELHI: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will release new competency-based textbooks for Grades 4, 5, 7, and 8, in alignment with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, for the academic session 2025-26.
It has also developed Bridge Programmes (BP) for Classes 5 and 8 to ensure a smooth transition for students and educators to the updated curricular and pedagogical approaches across all subjects.
“In continuation of Circular No. Acad-29/2024 (dated 22.03.2024) and Circular No. Acad-73/2024 (dated 23.08.2024), it is hereby informed that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will release new competency-based textbooks for Grades 4, 5, 7, and 8, in alignment with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, for the academic session 2025-26,” a notification issued by the NCERT said on March 26.
The NCECRT has also given a timeline, along with the notification, for the availability of the competency-based textbook and availability of the bridge course material.
The bridge programme material for Grade 5 Hindi, English, Urdu, Maths, TWAU, Arts and PE will be available on March 25, while the same for all existing subjects of Grade 8 will be available by March 25.
The bridge programme materials for all subjects of Grade 6 are available online, said the notification.
It has also given the time line for availability of the competency-based textbooks.
For the detailed timeline and the full notification, click here.
The NCCERT has advised the schools to take note of the timeline and make use of the new competency-based textbooks for Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8 for the 2025-26 academic session and utilise the Bridge Courses for Classes 5 and 8 to ensure seamless adaptation to the revised curriculum.
Suggestions pertaining to teaching material
Before introducing Grade 5, 6 and 8 textbooks, schools must offer bridge programmes from April 1, 2025, for smooth transition of students from the old curriculum to the new curriculum.
Schools should chalk out a strategy for engaging students entering Grades 5, 6 and 8 in 2025-26 in playful and activity-based learning to ensure a holistic environment that encompasses arts, physical education, and well-being, skill education, and fresh insights into language, mathematics, science, environmental education, and social sciences.
This approach aims to ease students’ adaptation to the new curriculum and spread awareness of the updated educational perspectives among parents and the community.
It is crucial to inform school heads, teachers, and parents about the suggested time allocations in Preparatory and Middle Stages per the NCF-SE 2023, and to encourage schools to adapt their schedules as per the local needs
The NCERT said that it was planning to conduct Capacity Building Programme for the key resource persons of CBSE, KVS and NVS on the new textbooks and bridge programmes in online mode.