The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has instructed all affiliated schools to implement the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) 2022, created by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which was introduced in October 2022.

To comply with the NCF-FS, schools will have to introduce three years of pre-primary education, followed by five years of foundational learning. This means that in addition to nursery and kindergarten, there will be another class at the pre-primary level, while classes I and II will be considered part of the primary level. 

Government schools and Kendriya Vidyalayas will introduce all three pre-primary classes, as they already begin at class I. Schools are advised to follow the new five-year early childhood education structure and include three years of Balvatika or Nursery classes to meet the objectives outlined in the NCF-FS 2022.

Balvatika classes will use activity-based play way methods to foster curiosity among students and focus on students' health, hygiene, and nutrition. Adopting a caring approach in early classes will strengthen students' cognitive and affective domains in successive years. Teachers will receive the necessary training to teach Balvatika or Nursery classes, and NCERT has released 'Jadui Pitara' as resource material for teaching in nursery classes to promote experiential and joyful learning. 

Additionally, NCERT is developing new textbooks for classes I and II that align with the NCF-FS objectives. The CBSE's adoption of the NCF-FS from the next academic session aims to bring students aged 3-6 into the formal education system, promoting holistic development through play-based, inquiry, and activity-based teaching methods.