Design thinking to be taught from Class 7 to 12

Speaking with TNIE, Biswajit Saha, director of CBSE (Skill Education and Training), said that CBSE will launch the books soon.
Image used for representational purpose only.
Image used for representational purpose only.

NEW DELHI: India will be the first country to expand design thinking and innovation courses in schools, with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) all set to roll out books from class seven onwards.
While the design thinking and innovation course has already been introduced for students of Class VI in many schools this academic year as a skill development curriculum, the CBSE is now planning to launch books for classes 7 to 12. The elective course jointly developed by CBSE, the Innovation Cell of the Education Ministry and IIT-Bombay aims to provide students with the tools and exposure that help them address problems using the design thinking process.

Speaking with TNIE, Biswajit Saha, director of CBSE (Skill Education and Training), said that CBSE will launch the books soon. Dr Abhay Jere, the Chief Innovation Officer of the Innovation Cell, Education Ministry, said, “This year, along with CBSE, we have already introduced a design thinking course from Class VI standard. India is the only country, as per the best of our knowledge, to have a design thinking elective module starting from Class 6 standard.”

“Introducing design thinking at 6th standard is very, very unique. We will be rolling out the books on the topic for Class 7 onwards very soon. They are at the final stages of clearance,” said Jere, who has been instrumental in introducing innovation-related initiatives in higher education institutions.

He said in India, many institutes are giving training in design thinking. Corporates are inviting design-thinking experts to help them ideate. International educational institutes like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford offer design thinking programmes, Jere told TNIE.

“Through this programme, we will be able to train a large number of youngsters, which will eventually help them move forward towards innovation and entrepreneurship,” added Jere, who conceptualised the Smart India Hackathon initiative, claimed as the world’s biggest open innovation model, which teaches the culture of product innovation and problem-solving among students.

The current module, which has been conceptualised, is at par with international standards and has been designed and supported by IIT-Bombay. The skill module is an optional subject but will not be a criterion for passing. Students will be awarded grades according to their achievement from — ‘beginning’, ‘developing’, ‘promising’, ‘proficient’ to ‘excellent’.

‘A promising beginning’

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will roll out books soon for Class 7 to 12

The elective skill course, which will be optional, will explore student’s sensory abilities, cognitive abilities and social abilities

It will create awareness in the students through observation, discovery, analysis, experience, collaboration and reflection.

It aims to nurture their curiosity and enhance their explorative abilities, foster creativity and innovation in students

Identify problems and be able to find solutions by applying design thinking processes and methods to solve various problems

Students will be awarded grades according to their achievement from – ‘beginning’, ‘developing’, ‘promising’, ‘proficient’ to ‘excellent’

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