The Maharashtra government has approved the gradual implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in all schools across the state starting from this academic year 2025-26 in phase-wise, an official government notification said.
The new structure aims to modernise the education system and align it with the vision of providing quality, inclusive, and affordable education to all, officials said.
The NEP introduces a transformative ‘5+3+3+4’ school education structure, replacing the traditional 10+2 system. This model aligns educational stages with the developmental needs of children aged 3 to 18 years.
The traditional 10+2 education model will be replaced by the 5+3+3+4 pattern, which includes:
– Foundational Stage (ages 3–8): Preschool to Class 2
– Preparatory Stage (ages 8–11): Classes 3 to 5
– Middle Stage (ages 11–14): Classes 6 to 8
– Secondary Stage (ages 14–18): Classes 9 to 12
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has prepared National Curriculum Frameworks (NCF) for Foundational Stage (2022) and School Education (2023). These are already being used in 23 states. The textbooks developed under NCF are created with the help of renowned and experienced experts across India and are used for national-level competitive exams and in schools affiliated with various boards.
Under the guidance of the State Steering Committee, which includes education experts and stakeholders, it has been decided to gradually adopt these NCERT-prepared textbooks with necessary changes and contextualisation in Maharashtra as well.
A State Curriculum Framework (SCF) for School Education (2024) has been developed based on NCF 2023. The work on School Education Curriculum 2025 is currently ongoing.
These frameworks — SCF Foundational 2024, Foundational Education Curriculum 2024, and SCF School Education 2024 — have been approved by the State Steering Committee under the chairmanship of the Maharashtra Minister of School Education.
Under the new curriculum, for Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools, Hindi will be introduced as the third language. In other medium schools, students will study their medium of instruction, Marathi, and English.
The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Maharashtra has developed new curriculum frameworks based on the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) by NCERT. These will be used to create textbooks in collaboration with Balbharati, the state textbook bureau.
The textbooks will be:
Simple, enjoyable, and focused on building foundational literacy and numeracy.
Aligned with national goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030.
Supplementary materials such as workbooks and bridge courses will be developed to help students transition smoothly to the new curriculum.
The SCERT will also prepare a new holistic assessment system known as the Holistic Progress Card (HPC). The schools will have timetables and annual plans, and there will be clear guidelines for exams, teacher training, and classroom activities.
The state’s Steering Committee headed by the state Minister of School Education will supervise the implementation at all levels, the notification said.
