Patna: The Bihar government is set to overhaul its education system by introducing vocational education for students as early as class six, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The move aims to equip children with skills for employment and entrepreneurship from a young age.
Currently, vocational courses in Bihar are available only from the ninth grade. Under the new plan, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is developing a curriculum that will expose students aged 11–12 to pre-vocational training. Courses will cover a broad spectrum, including computer education, information technology, healthcare, electronics, logistics, artificial intelligence, automobiles, retail management, banking, media and entertainment, and beauty and wellness.
A senior official from the education department emphasised that early exposure to skill-based training will prepare students for both employment and self-employment after school. “Our goal is to instil an entrepreneurial mindset in children from the sixth grade, so they can confidently enter the workforce or pursue higher education with a clear sense of direction,” the official said.
The initiative reflects a growing national trend: some states, including Delhi, already provide vocational education from the sixth grade. The new Bihar curriculum will initially provide basic knowledge of vocational subjects to generate interest and familiarity. By the time students reach the ninth grade, they are expected to have a clearer idea of their career paths.
The NCERT has also issued guidelines supporting the introduction of vocational education from grade six and has designed a new curriculum for grades six to eight under this framework. In the long term, Bihar’s education department plans to integrate basic vocational concepts into textbooks for classes below the sixth grade.
The programme is scheduled to be implemented in government schools from the 2026–27 academic session, marking a significant shift in Bihar’s approach to education and skill development.
