Lok Sabha Question No. 1431 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Standardize Experiential Learning
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Bastipati Nagaraju

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1431 ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

## Standardize Experiential Learning

## 1431. Shri Bastipati Nagaraju:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken by the Government to standardize experiential learning modules in schools as stipulated in the New Education Policy in the country;

(b) whether the Government has formulated any guidelines for experiential learning in different educational levels such as primary, secondary and senior secondary levels in the country;

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) the number of schools which have implemented experiential learning modules in the country, State/UT and district-wise for Andhra Pradesh;

(e) whether the Government has conducted an evaluation of the quality of courses offered under experiential  learning  modules  in  the  country,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor;

(f) whether the Government is providing any funds to States for capacity building and training of teachers for implementing such modules in schools across the country; and

(g)  if  so,  the  details  regarding  the  amount  of  funds  allocated  and  released,  State/UT-wise especially Andhra Pradesh?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a)  to  (g):  The  National  Education  Policy  (NEP)  2020,  at  Para  4.6,  emphasizes  experiential learning as a core pedagogical approach, promoting hands-on learning, arts integration, sports, and  vocational  education  starting  from  the  foundational  stage.  The  National  Council  of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has brought out National Curriculum Framework for  Foundational  Stage  (NCF-FS)  and  National  Curriculum  Framework  for  School  Education (NCF-SE),  which  provide  roadmap/guidelines  on  integration  of  experiential  learning  across subject  areas.  NCERT  has  also  brought  out  Jaadui  Pitara  &  e-Jaadui  Pitara-  a  collection  of teaching-learning material based on play-based learning approach, an integral part of experiential learning. Further, NCERT has also brought out a handbook on Toy-based Pedagogy.

Education being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, the majority of schools are under the jurisdiction of the respective State/UT Governments. As far as the schools affiliated to the  Central  Board  of  Secondary  Education  (CBSE)  are  concerned,  CBSE  has  taken  several measures and issued guidelines in its syllabus documents to institutionalise experiential learning for all stages across all CBSE affiliated schools, including those located in the state of Andhra Pradesh. These include:

- I. Issuance  of  the  CBSE  Handbook  on  Experiential  Learning,  which  mandates  experiential learning  as  a  pedagogical  approach  and  provides  structured  guidance  on  its  features, processes, lesson planning and assessment practices.
- II. Introduction  of  Art-Integrated  Learning  and  Sports-Integrated  Learning  as  mandatory pedagogical  approaches,  supported  by  detailed  modules  and  activity  frameworks  for classroom implementation.
- III. Emphasis on real-life contexts, project-based learning, inquiry-based activities, collaborative work and reflective practices as integral components of classroom teaching.
- IV. At  the  foundational  stage,  emphasis  is  on  play-based,  activity-oriented  and  experiential learning, with minimal reliance on textbooks. 'Jaadui Pitara' is one such initiative.
- V. At preparatory and middle stages (class 3-8), the Board advises to shift towards discoverybased and inquiry-based learning, supported by  trans-disciplinary projects and vocational exposure.  Use  of  indigenous  toys,  hands-on  activities,  coding,  crafts  and  skill-based modules  to  strengthen  experiential  understanding  has  been  highlighted  with  continued emphasis on formative assessments integrated with classroom activities.
- VI. Introduction of flexibility and multidisciplinary subject choices, as envisaged in NCF-SE2023  for  Secondary  and  Higher  Secondary  Stages  (Classes  IX-XII).  Emphasis  on analytical,  application-based  and  case-based  assessment  items  in  order  to  move  towards experiential  and  practical  learning.  For  competency-based  assessments,  the  board  puts emphasis  on  continued  use  of  formative  assessments,  alongside  summative  assessments including Board examinations.

CBSE  monitors  the quality of learning (experiential) implementation through academic supervision,  inspections,  affiliation  processes  &  School  Quality  Assessment  and  Assurance (SQAA)  framework.  As  experiential  learning  is  embedded  within  regular  teaching-learning processes  and  not  implemented  as  a  separate  scheme,  school-wise  or  district-wise  data  is  not maintained separately by CBSE.

All  1289  Kendriya  Vidyalayas  (KVs)  across  the  country  including  KVs  in  Andhra  Pradesh implement experiential learning pedagogical practices.

Funds  are  allocated  and  released  to  States/UTs  for  experiential  learning  through  different component viz. Teacher Training, NEP Bagless Days, Eco Club for Mission LiFE Activities, Soil Testing  Activities,  Model  Youth  Gram  Sabha,  STEM  labs,  Project-based  learning,  Atal Tinkering Labs, Innovation etc. under schemes like Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI, etc.

Need  based  capacity  building  programs  for  the  States/UTs  are  carried  out  by  the  various Regional  Institutes  of  Education  (RIEs)  of  NCERT,  which  also  have  sessions  dedicated  to developing the capacity of the Key Resource Persons in Experiential Learning.

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