Life skills
Not a subject you pass. Things you get a little better at every week, at school, at home and with friends.
The 10 core life skills
This list comes from the World Health Organization and is the one CBSE uses in its life skills material.
- Self-awareness
Knowing what you enjoy, what you're good at, and what drains you.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a short reflection →- At the end of a week, write down two things you lost track of time doing.
- Ask a friend what they come to you for. Their answer is often a strength.
- Take the 2-minute Find your fit quiz and see if it matches how you feel.
- Empathy
Understanding how someone else feels, even when you see things differently.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add volunteering →- In your next disagreement, repeat the other person's point back before you answer.
- Volunteer once with people whose daily life is different from yours.
- Critical thinking
Asking “how do we know this?” before you believe or share something.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a project →- Before forwarding a viral message, find where it first came from.
- Read two news reports of the same event and list what each one leaves out.
- Creative thinking
Coming up with new ideas, and new ways of doing ordinary things.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add creative work →- Take one everyday problem at home and list ten fixes, even silly ones.
- Make something small each week: a sketch, a short video, a recipe, a bit of code.
- Decision making
Choosing well: knowing your options, what each costs, and what you want.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a short reflection →- For your next big choice, write the options, one pro and one con for each, and who to ask.
- Sleep on decisions that can wait a day.
- Problem solving
Breaking a problem into small parts and trying one fix at a time.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a competition →- Stuck on a maths or coding problem? Write down exactly where you get stuck before asking for help.
- Join a puzzle, olympiad or hackathon, for the practice, not just the prize.
- Effective communication
Saying what you mean clearly, in speech and in writing, and listening properly.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add MUN, debate or a talk →- Explain something you learnt today to someone at home in two minutes.
- Volunteer to speak once at assembly, a class event or a club meeting.
- Write emails with a clear first line: what you need and by when.
- Getting along with people
Building friendships and team work that last, and handling conflict calmly.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a club or team →- In a group project, take one role on purpose: planner, checker or presenter.
- Thank someone specifically for something they did.
- Coping with stress
Noticing when pressure builds up, and having ways to bring it down.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a sport →- Plan exam weeks with breaks and sleep written in, not just study hours.
- Move every day: a walk, a sport, stretching.
- Tell one adult you trust when it feels like too much.
- Managing emotions
Naming what you feel and responding, instead of reacting, to anger, sadness or worry.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a short reflection →- When upset, wait ten minutes before you reply to a message.
- Keep a few lines of a feelings diary for one week and look for patterns.
Everyday skills
Not on any official list, but families ask us about these all the time.
- Money basics
Budgeting, saving, and knowing how UPI, bank accounts and fees really work.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a course →- Track every rupee you spend for one month.
- Plan one family outing within a fixed budget.
- Never share a UPI PIN or OTP, with anyone, ever.
- Staying safe online
Strong passwords, private accounts, and spotting scams and fake messages.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a course →- Turn on two-step login for your email and social media.
- Check what a stranger can see on your profiles.
- If you are cheated online, call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in straight away.
- Time and study habits
Planning your week so the important things happen before the urgent ones.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a short reflection →- Every Sunday, write the three most important things for the week.
- Study in 25–40 minute blocks with the phone in another room.
- Add your exam and application dates to your calendar from our Key dates page.
- Living on your own
Hostel or abroad: cooking simple meals, laundry, paperwork and looking after yourself.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a short reflection →- Cook five simple meals on your own before you leave home.
- Do your own laundry and ironing for a month.
- Keep copies of your ID, marksheets and admission letters in one safe folder.
- Health and sleep
Eating, sleeping and moving well enough to think clearly.
Try this weekShow it in your portfolio: Add a sport →- Keep the same sleep time for a week, including weekends.
- Keep the phone out of the bed.
When it feels like too much
Stress before exams and big decisions is normal. If it doesn't ease, talk to a parent, a teacher or your school counsellor. You can also call Tele-MANAS on 14416, the Government of India's free mental health helpline, any time of day.
Cheated online? Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in.
Sources · checked 17/10/2026
- CBSE — 21st Century Skills: A Handbook (WHO life skills, p. 15 and p. 25)
- CBSE — Life Skills manual, Class VI (credits WHO, 1997)
- Tele-MANAS — national mental health helpline
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
Next: 21st Century Skills →
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