It introduces from 2021-22 academic session coding for class VI-VII and data science for class VIII-XII in tie-up with Microsoft.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Friday collaborated with Microsoft to introduce Coding for class VI-VII and Data Science curriculum for class VIII-XII as new skilling subjects in the 2021-2022 academic session to promote and develop skills among school students.

“Under the National Education Policy (NEP)2020, we promised to introduce coding and data science in schools. Today, I’m happy to see CBSE fulfilling the promise right in the session of yr 2021 itself. In association with Microsoft, CBSE is empowering India’s future generations with new-age skills,” said Ramesh Pokhriyal, Education Minister.

Coding and Data Science Curriculum are focused on building critical thinking, computational skills, problem-solving skills, creativity and hands-on exposure to new technologies. In keeping with the NEP 2020, the introduction of these courses aims to build next-generation skills in students.

“As we transition to a world that relies increasingly on technology, it is critical that we impart skills that prepares students and educators across the country to succeed in this digital world. The new course curriculum on coding and data science that we have developed in partnership with Microsoft will equip students with future-ready learning skills. This is an important step to enable self-reliance in our students and equip them with skills like problem-solving, logical thinking, collaboration and design thinking that are critical for success,” Manoj Ahuja, Chairman, CBSE.

Skill modules

Currently, the board offers nine skill modules at the middle school level, 18 skill subjects at secondary level and 38 skill subjects at the senior secondary level to upgrade the proficiency and skills of the young generation and explore the various options available. According to CBSE, more than 20 lakh students are presently studying skill subjects at secondary and senior secondary level in approximately 12,000 schools.

“Skills like coding and data science are the currency of the future. Including these skills in school curriculum will play a strong role in preparing India’s future workforce for the new world of work. We are deeply committed to empowering the students of today to create the world of tomorrow and our partnership with CBSE is a strong step in that direction,” Navtez Bal, Executive Director, Public Sector, Microsoft India.

Microsoft has designed supplementary handbooks in both coding and data science, aligned with NCERT patterns and structures. and cover real-life examples aimed at building exposure to the ethical dimensions exposure to Microsoft Make Code an open-source platform that will enable students to learn better in a gamified manner across all disciplines, including mathematics, languages, and social sciences while it builds the foundation for AI based applications of data science.

“To give an impetus to Skill Education to schools, it has been decided by the CBSE to waive off the application fee for introducing new skill subjects at Senior Secondary Level. Thus schools desirous of introducing new skill subjects in Class XI, can do so without submitting any fee to CBSE effective from the date of release of this circular,” said the CBSE official statement.

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CBSE has launched an artificial intelligence community for students across the country in collaboration with Intel India to create an AI-ready generation

CBSE in partnership with Intel India has launched an artificial intelligence community for students in its efforts to help build a digital-first mindset and support an AI-ready generation. The platform aims at encouraging students to build real-life social impact artificial intelligence solutions as well as to collaborate and share their creations with others in the community.

The AI Student Community (AISC) is open for all students of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and also for students of non-CBSE schools. The platform has been created in line with the National Education Policy 2020, which emphasizes on the importance of artificial intelligence and highlights on the efforts needed to prepare students of the country for an AI-driven economy.

Benefits of Joining the CBSE Artificial Intelligence Community for Students

Students who join the platform will be access to free videos on artificial intelligence and python, introduction to AI, AI domains, AI ethics, self-directed python notebooks, and so on. Apart from that, the platform also offers various other benefits to students such as:

• Students will be able to learn artificial intelligence as a skill and its application for creating social impact projects through webinars with Intel AI-certified coaches and experts.
• Participants will be given access to AI learning resources curated from across the world.
• Students can also attend webinars and face-to-face boot camps to enhance their artificial intelligence skills.
• Students can participate in online challenges to test their knowledge and up-level themselves, and also share their experiences as blogs.
• The community will serve as a platform for participants to connect with other students from across the country, and discuss and deliberate on relevant AI topics in a moderator curated forum.
• National and international competitions will be organised for participants.

How to Join the CBSE Artificial Intelligence Community for Students

Interested students, who belong to classes 6 to 12, can join the platform by visiting the official page and then carrying out the following steps:

• Click on ‘Sign Up’ and fill in the required details such as name, name of school, gender, etc. and submit.
• A verification email will then be sent on the registered email-ID, using which students will have to verify their email address.
• After that, the student’s profile will be created and their registration confirmed as a member of the AISC.

Students, once registered, can log in anytime using their email address and password to access all the features of the CBSE Artificial Intelligence Community.

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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has integrated a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) course for class XI and XII in the current academic year (2020-2021). Developed in partnership with IBM, this course will be part of CBSE’s Social Empowerment through Work Education and Action (SEWA) program. It is being introduced in approximately 200 schools across 13 states in India including Delhi-NCR, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab.

Over the last few years, AI has gained prominence and is being used almost everywhere. This IBM AI curriculum is structured around a course framework for students consisting of base strands of knowledge (basics, history, applications), skills (design thinking, computational thinking, data fluency, critical thinking) and values (ethical decision making, bias). The course has been made robust with problem-based learning outcomes and assessment methods for teachers to build foundational skills of AI in students. The idea is to train students with the basics of AI.

“AI will certainly become all-pervasive in our lives in the coming years and it is important to inculcate the necessary skills & knowledge right from high school level. The unique proposition of the IBM AI curriculum is that it allows Grade XI & XII students from all streams, in addition to Computer Science, to build the foundation for themselves to be AI ready,” says Manoj Ahuja, Chairperson, CBSE.

The IBM AI Curriculum was launched in collaboration with CBSE in September 2019 to impart AI skills to 5,000 Grade XI students and 1,000 teachers across India. Following the program launch, a series of Principal Orientation and Teacher Training sessions were conducted between September 2019 and June 2020. As part of the partnership between IBM and CBSE for the AI Curriculum, training (online and classroom) for over 5,000 students was conducted resulting in a cumulative 408 hours of training workshops.

“The question on the minds of educators and economists alike is how will technology impact jobs moving forward and how can we prepare our students to succeed in an increasingly automated, AI-driven world. The objective of our exciting collaboration with CBSE is to help address some of those challenges by designing one of the most accessible and comprehensive gateways for students to begin their AI journey. As they think through designing innovative solutions to address key problems, we also get them deliberate about the ethical implications of the technology,” says Sandip Patel, General Manager, IBM India/South Asia.

This curriculum was co-developed with Australia’s Macquarie University and Indian implementation partners – Learning Links Foundation and 1M1B to meet CBSE’s requirements.

CBSE is India’s national level board of education for public and private schools, controlled and managed by the Government of India.

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