Gujarat Board to Introduce Vocational Education in Private Schools from 2026-27

In a move aimed at bringing skill-based learning into the mainstream school system, the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board has decided to introduce vocational education in private schools from the 2026-27 academic session.

The initiative aligns with the broader direction of the National Education Policy, which encourages schools to combine academic learning with practical skills that can prepare students for employment and entrepreneurship. Education authorities in Gujarat have identified sixteen vocational sectors that schools can offer. These include fields such as agriculture, information technology and healthcare.

Private schools that opt to introduce these courses will have to set up the required infrastructure, including dedicated laboratories, and appoint qualified vocational trainers. The cost of hiring trainers will be borne by the respective school managements. District education officers will grant approval to schools that meet the prescribed requirements.

According to the board’s plan, vocational subjects will replace the third language at the secondary level in Class 10. At the higher secondary stage in Classes 11 and 12, these subjects will function as main academic streams rather than supplementary courses.

The curriculum will include a significant practical component. Students will be required to undertake field visits each year and complete an internship of around eighty hours during their higher secondary studies. Assessment will be divided between theory, practical work and internal evaluation.

The decision is expected to affect nearly 5,700 private schools across the state. Education officials say the reform is intended to give students early exposure to career-oriented skills while continuing their formal schooling.

Authorities believe the shift could gradually change the perception that vocational learning is separate from academic education, and instead position it as an integral part of school learning in the years ahead.