Supreme Court asks Centre to revisit CBSE’s three-language policy for Class 9

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday urged the Centre to address concerns over the CBSE's three-language policy for Class 9 students, saying children should not be put under undue pressure by its implementation.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said there was nothing wrong with introducing the policy but stressed that the government should ensure it was rolled out in a manner that addressed practical difficulties.

"Some of these problems, you may revisit. There is no doubt that sooner or later, it has to be introduced," the bench told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati. "But how it is to be streamlined so that whatever impediments or blockades are coming up, you may find a solution to those."

The court said the government should consider whether students covered by the new policy could be given more time before its implementation. It also raised questions over the availability of qualified teachers for the languages offered by the CBSE.

"We don't want the children to come under any pressure," Chief Justice Surya Kant said.

The bench suggested that if Class 6 was chosen as the starting point for the policy, students entering Class 6 this year could be given a reprieve and the implementation deferred until next year. It also asked the Centre to examine where the three-language requirement should begin, whether in Class 3, Class 4 or Class 6.

The court further asked the Centre to consider how the policy would apply across school boards, noting that CBSE is only one of several boards in the country.

The observations came while the court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the CBSE's decision to make three languages compulsory for Class 9 students from July 1, 2026. The policy requires students to study at least two native Indian languages.

Senior advocate Anand Grover, appearing for some petitioners, argued that the CBSE lacked the authority to frame the curriculum for Classes 6 to 8, which he said fell under the NCERT.

The bench also stressed the need for adequate teaching infrastructure. "If they are introducing a language, they will also have plan for teachers. It is their obligation," it said.

The CBSE currently offers 23 language options. The court said regional languages should not be viewed as inferior to other languages and emphasised the importance of respecting all languages.

Justice Bagchi also questioned the use of the term "native" in the policy, saying it had a "colonial connotation" and suggesting that "indigenous" would be more appropriate.

The Centre said the policy was formulated after consultations with thousands of experts. Bhati told the court that the government wanted to support students in the best possible manner.

The court said it could either constitute an expert committee or ask the government to constitute one to examine difficulties arising from the implementation and suggest solutions. Bhati said she would seek instructions on the court's suggestions and return with a response. The court posted the matter for further hearing after 10 days.

What is CBSE's three-language policy?
Under the CBSE's revised scheme of studies, Class 9 students from July 1, 2026, are required to study three languages, designated R1, R2 and R3, with at least two being native Indian languages. A student choosing a foreign language can take it only as the third language after studying two native Indian languages, or as an additional fourth language.

The policy is part of the CBSE's alignment of its curriculum with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE), 2023.

The CBSE has said it will not conduct a board examination for the third language at the Class 10 level, to reduce pressure on students. Until dedicated R3 textbooks are available, Class 9 students will use the Class 6 R3 textbooks for the 2026-27 academic year.