Aizawl: The Mizoram government has announced a major shift in the state’s pedagogical approach, moving away from rote memorisation towards hands-on, experiential learning, officials said on Friday.
An official in the School Education Department said new experience-based textbooks are being finalised to support the transition. The reform is aimed at aligning classroom practices with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
As part of the changes, the government will introduce standardised promotion examinations for Classes V and VIII. Beginning with the upcoming examination cycle, students across schools will answer uniform, competency-based question papers.
Caroline Zoramthangi, Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), said the new textbooks would be rolled out in phases. “The revised books for Classes I, II, III and VI will be introduced from the 2026–27 academic year, followed by Classes IV, V, VII and VIII in the 2027–28 session,” she said.
The State’s Printing and Stationery Department has begun printing the materials for the initial phase of implementation, she added.
According to Zoramthangi, the revised curriculum emphasises illustrations, drama, project work and field-based activities over abstract theory. “The focus will shift from merely assessing knowledge levels to fostering holistic development — physical, emotional, moral and spiritual,” she said, adding that learning would be made more child-centric and engaging.
Subjects such as Mathematics and Science will be taught through real-life applications to create a more interactive and less burdensome classroom environment, she said.
The government will also implement uniform question papers for Classes V and VIII across 770 state-run and aided schools. SCERT will centralise and analyse examination results to monitor learning outcomes and maintain academic standards statewide.
While acknowledging that the reforms mark a first for Mizoram, Zoramthangi expressed confidence that the changes would strengthen students’ conceptual understanding and improve performance in national-level competitive examinations.
“Once teachers recognise that this is the future format of assessments, they will upgrade their skills and adapt their teaching methods accordingly,” she said.
The announcement follows a related decision taken last month by Vanlalthlana. The Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) will discontinue the publication of “Top 10” merit lists, ranks and divisions for Classes 10 and 12 starting this year.
The Minister had said the move was intended to reduce unhealthy competition driven by rote learning and shift the emphasis towards quality, competency-based outcomes.