Chandigarh, June 20 -- With an expenditure of Rs.1.2 crore, UT school education department will extend skill education to all its 42 senior secondary schools from the current academic session 2026-27. The move follows the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) and the guidelines of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Until the 2025-26 academic session, vocational courses were offered in 23 government senior secondary schools. With the expansion to all 42 schools, students in science, commerce and humanities streams will now have access to skill-based learning opportunities alongside their regular academic curriculum. For this, 38 additional part-time skill trainers will be engaged, in addition to the existing 110 regular and contractual skill educators. The proposal entails an expenditure of approximately Rs.1.2 crore. As part of the reform, 1,755 vocational seats will be reallocated across science, commerce and humanities streams, increasing the overall Class 12 intake from 13,875 to 13,920 seats and providing students greater flexibility in selecting their preferred academic pathways. The initiative aims to equip students with practical skills, industry exposure and career awareness while strengthening employability, entrepreneurship and informed career choices in line with evolving workforce requirements. Students will be able to choose from a basket of 30 skill elective courses covering emerging technologies, commerce, healthcare, hospitality, design, wellness and other industry-oriented sectors. These include artificial intelligence (AI), information technology (IT), web applications, banking, marketing, financial market management, business administration, health care, food production, tourism, beauty & wellness, yoga, fashion studies, electrical technology, electronics, automotive, AC & refrigeration, front office operations, office procedures & practices, salesmanship, cost accounting, typography & computer applications, shorthand (English and Hindi) and other industry relevant disciplines. Director school education Nitish Singla stated that this initiative reflects the department's commitment to holistic education, ensuring that every child not only excels academically but also acquires relevant skills that will enable them to become confident, self-reliant, and future-ready citizens. The school education department has undertaken comprehensive planning for the program's rollout, including deploying trained instructors, providing academic support and continuous monitoring for effective implementation in accordance with CBSE standards....