Pune: The academic burden on 9th and 10th grade students is set to increase with the introduction of three additional mandatory subjects—vocational education, arts education, and interdisciplinary studies—raising the total number of subjects to 12.

This development comes as part of the phased implementation of the new National Education Policy (NEP). The revised curriculum has been approved by the Steering Committee and will be introduced in schools across Maharashtra.

While the issue of heavy school bags has been a recurring concern, the introduction of new subjects has led to the further increase of academic load.

Currently, students in grades 9 and 10 study subjects like Marathi, Hindi, English, Science, Mathematics, History, Political Science, Geography, Economics, Physical Education, and Scouts and Guides.

With the addition of three more subjects, students will now need to manage a total of 12 subjects. This might also lead to an extension of school hours.

Under the new policy, Indian languages have been made compulsory. Vocational subjects such as agriculture, plumbing, and beauty services will be introduced to 9th graders, while 10th graders will be exposed to trades like gardening and carpentry. Arts education will cover areas such as visual arts, drama, music, dance, and folk art.

To ensure students are well-prepared for national entrance exams for higher education, subjects like Science, Mathematics, English, Hindi, and vocational education will follow standardized textbooks.

However, for Marathi, History, and Geography, the state will develop its own curriculum. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will produce supplementary materials to complement NCERT textbooks. Content for subjects like History and Geography will balance local, state, national, and global perspectives.

Assessments for 9th grade will be conducted at the school level, while the 10th-grade examinations will be overseen by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. Final results after 10th grade will also be declared by the state board.