CBSE introduces AI and computational thinking curriculum for classes 3 to 8 from 2026

The Central Board of Secondary Education is set to introduce a new curriculum on Computational Thinking and Artificial Intelligence for students in classes 3 to 8 starting from the 2026 to 2027 academic session. The move is part of a broader effort to embed future-focused skills into early schooling.

In a notification issued on April 9, 2026, CBSE also designated “Computational Thinking and Understanding AI” as the training theme for the current academic year.

Aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023, the curriculum is designed to strengthen learners’ logical reasoning, problem-solving abilities, pattern recognition, and understanding of the ethical use of AI.

The board stated that the initiative aims to equip teachers with pedagogical strategies to integrate CT and AI concepts across subjects and foster an ethical, responsible, and future-ready learning environment in schools.

According to the official notice, school-level training activities will be organized around several sub-themes, including Foundations of Computational Thinking and AI Readiness, From Play to Abstraction: Progressive Pedagogy for Computational Thinking, and Mathematics as the Cornerstone of Computational Thinking and AI Readiness.

Other areas include Interdisciplinary Connections, focusing on CT across subjects at the middle stage; AI in real-world contexts; assessment and pedagogy in CT and AI; and ethics and responsible use of AI.

The board said its aim is to integrate CT and AI concepts across subjects: Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, and language learning.

The notification also outlined guidelines for conducting district-level discussions and workshops on CT and AI. Schools have been permitted to host offline workshops on the identified themes to deliberate on best practices in teaching these subjects.

Topic selection, venue arrangements, and the invitation of experts will be managed by the organizing schools, which are also required to maintain proper training records.

In addition, CBSE will organize regional workshops and orientation programs on CT and AI. Teachers can participate through an online registration process by paying a fee of ₹700. Schools may nominate teachers based on the jurisdiction of their respective Centres of Excellence.

The board has encouraged all affiliated schools to actively conduct the suggested activities and ensure teacher participation in regional workshops and orientation programs on CT and AI.