The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced new professional development opportunities for teachers and school leaders, alongside access to over 845 virtual science and math labs on the DIKSHA platform. These initiatives aim to enhance learning across India.
CBSE NISHTHA Course 2026-27 Enrollment Open
Teachers and school heads can now enroll in the CBSE NISHTHA Course 2026-27. The training period runs from April 2026 to October 2026. This program is part of NISHTHA Category II and III, managed by CIET-NCERT.
NISHTHA Category II offers two proficiency courses: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). These are designed for educators working with students up to Grade 5. The enrollment deadline for these courses is August 31, 2026 . Courses conclude on September 15, 2026 .
NISHTHA Category III includes five advanced courses: Cyber Hygiene Practices for Personal Digital Devices, Environmental Hazards of Electric Waste, Action Research, Catch the Rain (English), and Catch the Rain (Hindi). All school heads and teachers are eligible to join these advanced modules.
Teachers can register for NISHTHA courses through the official NISHTHA portal. Schools are directed to inform their staff and encourage participation.
845+ Virtual Labs Available on DIKSHA
CBSE has also highlighted over 845 virtual labs accessible on the DIKSHA platform. These resources were developed by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. CIET-NCERT created these labs for NCERT.
The majority of virtual labs focus on Science and Mathematics subjects. Each lab is aligned with the NCERT curriculum. Students and teachers can access these labs easily through the DIKSHA platform and its mobile app. Labs are organized by grade level and subject.
QR codes within NCERT textbooks provide direct links to the corresponding virtual labs. Students can scan these codes with a smartphone to open the lab instantly. CBSE has also provided grade-specific QR codes for quicker access. The AI-powered tool, Ask DIKSHA, assists users in finding suitable labs.
DIKSHA PAL courses offer guided pathways to utilize these virtual labs. CBSE has requested all affiliated schools to share information about these digital learning resources with students, teachers, and parents.
