Repeal of Sec 377 and triple talaq, new criminal laws to be part of CBSE curriculum
New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will revamp its Legal Studies curriculum for Classes 11 and 12 from the 2026–27 academic year, incorporating recent legal reforms and landmark rulings, officials confirmed.
The updated syllabus will feature the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) — laws that replaced the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act in 2023–24. It will also cover the repeal of outdated provisions such as triple talaq, sedition, and the striking down of Section 377.
“These reforms mark a significant shift in the country’s legal framework, and our curriculum must reflect this change,” the minutes of the CBSE Curriculum Committee meeting stated. The proposal, approved in June and ratified by the board’s Governing Body, aims to acquaint students with modern statutes and judicial developments shaping Indian law.
An expert panel will be formed to oversee the content update, with the possibility of engaging a dedicated content development agency. “The new textbooks will adopt interactive and contemporary teaching methods, in line with the National Education Policy,” a senior CBSE official said.
Introduced as an elective in Class 11 in 2013 and Class 12 in 2014, Legal Studies has grown into a key subject for students aspiring to careers in law, governance, and public policy.
In April 2024, the Directorate of Education sanctioned the subject’s expansion to 29 more schools, advising heads of institutions to complete CBSE’s formal requirements.
