Rise in CBSE students opting for vocational subjects in class X, XII

Rise in CBSE students opting for vocational subjects in class X, XII

Introduction of subjects including AI, IT, tourism, yoga, and physical training has piqued their interest 

Ayushi.Gupta1@timesofindia.com 17.02.2025

There has been a substantial increase in students picking vocational subjects in CBSE schools in the last three years. Introduced in the 2019 board exams, the numbers have risen from 7,72,419 students in 9,534 schools in 2021-22 to 17,13,213 students from 23,752 schools in 2024-25. 

CBSE attributes the rise to the introduction of occupation-based skills such as IT, AI, Physical Activity Training, Tourism, Beauty and Wellness, Yoga, Retail, and Marketing, which invited greater student involvement. 

CBSE noticed more participation in class X than in class XII as students focused their attention on competitive exams. Currently, CBSE offers 34 skill modules for students from class VI onwards, in addition to the 22 skill subjects in classes IX and X and 43 skill subjects in classes XI and XII. Growing numbers According to the data, in the 2024-25 academic year, around 17,13,213 students from 23,752 schools participated in at least one vocational subject in class X. There was massive interest for IT subject which was opted by 7,72,419 students in 9,534 schools in 2021-22 increasing to 11,66,492 students in 15,384 schools in 2024-25. The subject involving investment covered in ‘Introduction to Financial Markets’ has also seen student interest as the number grew from 7,906 students in 195 schools in 2021-22 to 16,671 students in 359 schools in 2024-25. 

However, the most popular subjects, such as IT, AI, Tourism, and Marketing, have seen a decline in growth rates in class XII. Speaking to Education Times, Biswajit Saha, director, Skill Education and Training, CBSE, says, “In classes IX and X, students have shown greater interest in certain vocational subjects. However, in classes XI and XII, we have observed a dip as students shift their focus to preparing for competitive exams including NEET, JEE, CLAT, for college admissions. CBSE is working on strategies to improve student retention in vocational subjects at schools.” The skill subjects offered in classes IX to XII by CBSE are designed to align with industry demand as described under the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). These vocational subjects provide secondary school students with the competency levels required for various occupations. Explaining the growth in tourism as a vocational subject, Saha says, “Under the Ministry of Tourism, some government-funded schools in potential tourism-based states such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar, and Delhi have received aid to establish skill labs, especially to run hospitality-based courses.” Practical exposure To impart essential skills to students, the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and the AICTE have been working on developing laboratories, including IT Labs, Composite Science Labs, and separate Physics, Chemistry, and Maths labs in schools.

 “Since August 2024, the board has established around 70 Composite Skill Labs in six categories of central government schools, including Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV), Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), PM Shree Schools across states and UTs. The board has also set up Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in more than 10,000 schools across the country. The CBSE initiative has helped in setting up around 100 Agile ATLs in the northeastern states, Leh-Ladakh, Andaman, and Delhi. These labs provide practical exposure to students in both skill-based and STEM vocational subjects,” says Saha