Cambridge says flexible subject choices align with NEP 2020 vision in India

Cambridge official Rod Smith said its flexible subject choices align with NEP 2020, promoting multidisciplinary learning, learner-centred education and informed academic choices, with support for teachers, school leaders and parents.

In Short

• Cambridge curriculum offers flexible subject choices aligned with NEP 2020
• About 850 Indian schools follow Cambridge, growing 15% yearly
• Learners can choose subjects based on interests, not fixed paths

Cambridge offers schools the flexibility to choose subjects and combinations based on students' needs, and this is closely aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's push for greater choice and learner-centred education, a senior Cambridge University Press and Assessment official has said.

Cambridge University Press and Assessment Group Managing Director, International Education, Rod Smith, told PTI that Cambridge has a significant presence in India, with around 850 schools offering its curriculum and examinations. He said the number is growing by about 15 per cent annually. Across South Asia, Cambridge is present in around 1,200 schools.

"Cambridge offers schools the flexibility to choose subjects and combinations based on their students' needs. This closely aligns with the NEP 2020 vision of moving away from rigid streams and a one-size-fits-all approach towards greater choice, flexibility and learner-centred education," Smith said.

He said the system also allows learners to make choices progressively, based on their developing interests, strengths and aspirations, rather than being defined too early by a fixed academic pathway.

"India's NEP 2020 has already articulated a progressive vision in response to many of these shifts, with its emphasis on multidisciplinary learning, flexibility, subject choice and holistic development. The global experience can complement this vision by offering perspectives on how these principles can continue to evolve," he said.

Smith said learners should be given opportunities to explore different subjects before choosing their specialisations, and added that this process should begin at the school level.

"Early assessment can help schools understand learners' strengths and areas for development, while exposure to different subjects and careers can help learners understand what interests them. This can support more informed pathway choices, rather than choosing a career first and discovering later that it does not align with their interests or strengths," he said.

"It can also contribute to learner wellbeing by helping them pursue directions that better align with who they are," he added.

For Cambridge in India, Smith said the global experience is not about adopting another model but learning from how education systems worldwide are responding to a changing world, while strengthening the vision outlined in NEP 2020 and helping learners understand themselves, explore possibilities and make informed choices about their future.

He said teachers and school leaders are critical to making this happen. Cambridge, therefore, invests significantly in professional development to help educators strengthen learner-centred approaches, active learning, assessment for learning, metacognition and differentiated teaching, he added.

According to Smith, the objective is to help learners explore their strengths and make informed academic and career choices, while also helping parents understand wider pathways and make more informed choices for their children.

"We have also enabled our schools to have open conversations with parents about academic rigour in an AI-enabled world, the growing importance of judgement and multidisciplinary approaches, and the varied academic and career destinations available. This year, our leadership is taking this conversation directly to parents in over 500 schools, helping them better understand these possibilities," he said.

In sum, Smith said Cambridge's approach in India is centred on flexible subject choices, informed decision-making by learners, support for teachers and wider engagement with parents, in line with the broader goals set out in NEP 2020.

(With PTI inputs)

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