After deciding to offer Science and Social Science at two levels – basic and advanced — at the secondary stage, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) plans to extend the model to STEM subjects at the higher secondary level, starting with Class 11, The Sunday Express has learnt.The CBSE currently offers Mathematics at two levels in Class 10 — standard and basic. The examination for the basic level is easier than that for the standard one, but the question papers for both levels are based on the same syllabus.In December last year, its governing body, the Board’s highest decision-making authority, approved a proposal to extend this model to Science and Social Science in Classes 9 and 10, paving the way for all three subjects to be offered in basic and advanced formats, beginning with Class 9 in the 2026–27 academic session.This is now expected to be extended, at least for STEM subjects, at the higher secondary level, with the rollout beginning for Class 11 students in the 2026–27 academic session.Government sources, however, pointed out that the timeline remains flexible as the rollout depends on when the new NCERT textbooks for higher classes are released, and how they accommodate learning at two levels.So far, the NCERT has released new textbooks aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023 for Classes 1 to 4, and Classes 6 and 7. Textbooks for Classes 5 and 8 are being made available in the current academic session, leaving those for Classes 9 to 12 scheduled for the sessions ahead.According to NCERT notifications setting up textbook development teams for higher classes, textbooks for Classes 9 and 11 are expected to be ready later this year.Story continues below this adThe CBSE’s decision to offer subjects at two levels is in line with the NEP and the NCFSE. For Classes 9 to 12, the NCFSE recommends that subjects and examinations be offered at different levels (basic and advanced). Similarly, the NEP says that “all subjects and corresponding assessments, beginning with mathematics, could be offered at two levels, with students doing some of their subjects at the standard level and some at a higher level.”A source pointed out that the NCFSE envisions Classes 9 to 12 as a continuum, categorising these classes together as the ‘secondary stage’.On the reasons behind introducing subjects at two levels for Classes 9 and 10, the minutes of the CBSE governing body meeting from December last year noted: “Introducing two levels for these subjects would allow students to select the level of complexity that best aligns with their interests and future pathways, thereby promoting meaningful engagement and reducing academic stress.” The minutes also stated that students inclined towards engineering, medicine or other STEM careers could opt for an advanced level in Science.As for Social Science, the advanced level could, the meeting minutes note, “facilitate deeper exploration of historical events, geographical patterns and economic systems, fostering analytical and critical thinking skills.” The standard level is meant to help students understand the “broader significance of concepts in real-world contexts.”Story continues below this adExplainedCBSE’s experience with offering Mathematics at two levels in Class 10 shows that almost 30% of students prefer the basic level. In the 2023-24 Class 10 Board exam, 15,88,041 students registered for the standard paper, compared to 6,79,560 for the basic.Sources said that for Class 11, two levels of a subject like Mathematics, for instance, would give a student the option of studying it at the basic level if they don’t intend to pursue it in higher education. A student may also choose one subject at a higher level and another at a basic level, they said.Last year, the CBSE had, on a pilot basis, offered Mathematics, Science and Social Science at an advanced level to Class 9 students who volunteered for it in select private schools. After the assessment, students’ feedback indicated an interest in the advanced levels, sources said.The CBSE, sources said, is still considering how the final board exam results can reflect that a student has taken the advanced level. The proposal for classes 9 and 10 that the governing body considered in December pointed to the possibility of a separate question paper annexure with additional questions for students opting for the advanced level.