The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued fresh directives mandating professional development for school leaders and teachers across all affiliated schools. In two official notifications dated April 1, 2025, the Board outlined a structured training framework aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST).
According to the guidelines, all educators must complete at least 50 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) every year-half through CBSE or government training institutes, and the rest through in-house or local collaborative programmes. The training will cover three key focus areas: Core Values and Ethics (12 hours), Knowledge and Practice (24 hours), and Professional Growth and Development (14 hours).
The Board has also recognised a wide range of academic and evaluative tasks-such as board exam duties, research work, CBSE conference participation, and digital content development-as part of CPD hours.
For 2025, CBSE has announced STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as its annual training theme. Schools have been encouraged to conduct District Level Deliberations (DLDs) to promote discussion and innovation in STEM teaching, with an emphasis on inquiry-based and interdisciplinary approaches.
All affiliated schools must comply with these updated norms. CBSE urged Heads of Institutions to lead the change by fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional excellence.
Further details and access to the official notifications are available on the CBSE website: www.cbse.gov.in.
