Cross-Subject Learning Frameworks: Insights for the Future of National Curricula

Amid growing global interest in integrative and competency-based education, this study examines the role of cross-curricular teaching frameworks in enhancing student outcomes in Indian upper-primary schools (ages 9–12). Positioned within the reformative goals of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Credit Framework (NCF), the research investigates whether interdisciplinary instruction can meaningfully improve academic performance, engagement, and learning equity. Drawing on a mixed-methods design across ten diverse schools, the study found that students exposed to cross-curricular modules demonstrated greater academic gains, with engagement and critical thinking emerging as significant mediators. Gini coefficient analysis revealed more equitable achievement distributions in experimental classrooms. Qualitative insights supported these patterns, while also pointing to practical challenges in implementation. While grounded in the Indian context, the findings hold broader relevance for education systems worldwide seeking to move beyond rigid subject divisions toward more connected, inclusive, and skills-oriented models of primary education.