The Supreme Court declined on Thursday to issue an interim order on a petition challenging the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) three-language policy for Class 9 students starting the 2026-27 academic year. The court stated it would not grant immediate protection.
Court Hearing Details
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V. Mohana ordered the petition to be consolidated with similar cases already before the court. The bench noted that a single-line order was not possible and the matter required extensive discussion. It confirmed no interim protection would be granted at this stage.
The petition was filed by the NGO Friends of People for Active Democracy. Their legal counsel clarified that the challenge targets the policy's implementation, not the policy itself.
Policy Overview and Timeline
The Supreme Court set the next hearing date for July 14, 2026 . The cases relate to a CBSE circular dated May 15, 2026 . This initiative aligns CBSE's curriculum with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SR) 2023.
Effective July 1 , Class 9 students must study three languages. At least two of these must be native Indian languages. Students can opt for a foreign language only as their third language, after completing two Indian languages and an optional fourth language.
CBSE confirmed no board examinations will be held for the third language in Class 10. Assessments will be school-based and internal. Student performance will appear on CBSE certificates. The policy will not prevent students from taking Class 10 board exams.
Implementation Measures
Schools must update their third language offerings on the OASIS portal by June 30, 2026 . Class 6 textbooks for the third language in 19 scheduled languages will be available before July 1. Schools can use State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) resources for other native Indian languages.
CBSE permits temporary use of teachers with functional proficiency in a language, even if not their primary subject. Other suggested measures include inter-school resource sharing, virtual teaching support, and hiring retired teachers or qualified postgraduates.
Exemptions and Provisions
The policy includes relaxations for children with special needs, as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. Foreign students returning to India may receive case-by-case exemptions from the requirement of studying two native Indian languages.
