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Delhi schools to introduce vocational education, third language in Class 9 under revised rules
The revised rules prescribe that a student must secure at least 33 per cent separately in internal, or, practical and external assessment in each of the six main subjects, it said and added that students must also secure at least 25 per cent in the annual examination to be eligible for promotion.
ASER figures also show that enrolment in secondary schools was 49.5 per cent in 2022-23. This dropped to 45.7 per cent in 2023-34, and then drastically to 26.1 per cent in 2024-25 till it subsequently improved.
Schools across Delhi will now have vocational education and a third language as compulsory components for Class 9 students, with the Delhi Government revising the examination and promotion system for the current academic session. The new system also introduces optional advanced-level assessments in Mathematics and Science.
Under the revised scheme, the six main subjects for Class 9 students will be Language-1, Language-2, Mathematics, Science, Social Science and Vocational Education — Kaushal Vikas. These subjects will form the basis for academic progression and promotion to Class 10, according to the Directorate of Education.
Vocational Education has been introduced as a mandatory subject to give students early exposure to skill-based learning and employability skills, the Directorate said in a circular issued on Monday. It has also made a third language (R3) compulsory from Class 9. Students will continue with the same three-language combination they studied in Class 8, with one of the three languages being opted as R3, it stated.
READ | CBSE eases three-language policy; current Class 10 students exempted
The third language will be a qualifying subject and will be assessed entirely at the school level. The marksheet will show whether a student is ‘qualified’ or ‘not qualified’.
“A student who does not qualify in a third language during Class 9 can still be promoted to Class 10 if the student meets the other promotion criteria. However, the student will have to clear the Class 9 R3 assessment while studying in Class 10 and cannot appear for the Class 10 Board examination without qualifying in the third language,” it read.
The revised scheme also introduces two levels of Mathematics and Science for Class 9. All students will take the common Mathematics and Science examinations based on the prescribed syllabus, while students seeking to study beyond the standard syllabus can opt for Mathematics Advanced, Science Advanced or both, it said.
The advanced-level examination will carry 25 marks and be one hour-long, with questions focused on higher-order thinking skills. Marks obtained in the advanced examinations will not be counted for promotion or the overall aggregate. Students securing at least 50 per cent in the advanced examination will have the achievement reflected on their marksheet, it read.
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The Directorate has discontinued the existing Mathematics Basic and Mathematics Standard examination structure for the Class 9 batch from 2026-27. The existing system will, however, continue for Class 10 students in the 2026-27 session, the circular mentioned.
Also Read | CBSE makes three-language formula mandatory for Class 9 from 2026
As part of the revised curriculum, ‘Individuals in Society’, Art Education and Physical Education and Well-Being have also been made compulsory curricular areas, with school-based assessment. Computational Thinking and Artificial Intelligence (CT & AI) will be introduced as structured modules in all schools during 2026-27 and will become a compulsory subject from the 2027-28 session, the department said.
The revised rules prescribe that a student must secure at least 33 per cent separately in internal assessment/practical and external assessment in each of the six main subjects, it said and added that students must also secure at least 25 per cent in the annual examination to be eligible for promotion.
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The Directorate has retained provisions for grace marks and compartment examinations. Students failing in up to three of the six main subjects can appear for the compartment examination, while those who remain ineligible for promotion or compartment examination will be declared ‘Essential Repeat’ and have to repeat Class 9.
The changes have been introduced in line with the National Education Policy, 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education, 2023, with an emphasis on competency-based, skill-oriented and multidisciplinary learning, it added.
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