SC refuses interim stay on CBSE three-language policy for Class 9

The Supreme Court refused interim relief against CBSE’s three-language policy for Class 9 from 2026-27, tagging the plea with similar cases. The policy mandates two Indian languages under NEP 2020, while the court will hear the matter in July

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to pass any interim order on a plea challenging the implementation of a CBSE policy mandating the study of three languages, including two native Indian languages, for Class 9 students from the 2026-27 academic session.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana tagged the plea filed by NGO Friends of People for Active Democracy with similar petitions pending on the issue.

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“We cannot pass a single-line order today. This matter was argued at length. There is no question of interim protection,” the bench said as it ordered the tagging of the matter.

During the brief hearing, the counsel appearing for the NGO submitted that they are not challenging the three-language policy per se but just the implementation part of it.

CJI Kant then questioned the NGO’s name, Friends Of People For Active Democracy, and asked in a lighter vein if that kind of nomenclature was meant to create fear in the mind of the court or the people.

The counsel replied, “No, my lord. That’s the name of the trust. It’s an old trust set up in 2013”, and submitted that the CBSE was required to issue detailed guidelines by June 15.

The bench, however, listed the matter for hearing on July 14 along with other pending petitions. On May 27, the top court agreed to examine the plea challenging a CBSE policy mandating the study of three languages and issued notices to the Centre, the CBSE and the NCERT and sought comprehensive replies within two weeks.

It had asked ASG Aishwarya Bhati to submit a report on the logistical preparedness of the CBSE to implement the decision and posted the matter for hearing in the second week of July.

According to a recent circular issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the study of three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, has been made compulsory for Class 9 students beginning July 1.

The move is part of the CBSE’s alignment of its scheme of studies with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.

“In order to adequately address the competencies envisaged at the Secondary Stage, these textbooks will be supplemented with one appropriate local or state literary material, selected by schools, such as short stories, poems, or nonfiction works,” the board said.

It added that detailed guidelines regarding the selection and pedagogical use of supplementary literary material would be issued by June 15.

According to the circular issued on May 15, students opting for a foreign language may do so only as the third language after studying two native Indian languages, or as an additional fourth language.

“With effect from July 1, 2026, for Class IX, the study of three languages (R1, R2, R3) shall be compulsory, with at least two languages being native Indian languages,” the circular said.

The board said till the dedicated R3 textbooks are available, Class 9 students shall use the Class 6 R3 textbooks (2026-27 edition) of the chosen language.

The CBSE said to keep the focus on learning and reduce any undue pressure on students, no board examination shall be conducted for R3 at the Class 10 level.

“All assessments for R3 shall be entirely school-based and internal. The performance of students in R3 will be duly reflected in the CBSE certificate. It is clarified that no student will be barred from appearing in the Class X Board Examinations due to R3. Sample question papers, rubrics for internal assessment will be shared by the board shortly,” it added.

The board also asked schools to update their R3 language offerings for Classes 6 to 9 on the OASIS portal by June 30. According to the board, Class 6 R3 textbooks in 19 scheduled languages will be made available to schools before July 1, while for the remaining native Indian languages, schools may use the available State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and state-level resources.

The board further said schools facing a shortage of adequately qualified native Indian language teachers may, as an interim arrangement, engage existing teachers of other subjects who possess functional proficiency in the language concerned.

“Collaborative and flexible mechanisms such as inter-school resource sharing through Sahodaya clusters, virtual or hybrid teaching support, engagement of retired language teachers, and utilisation of suitably qualified postgraduates may be adopted,” it added.

The CBSE further said relaxations would be provided to children with special needs in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, while foreign students returning to India may get case-by-case exemptions from the requirement of studying two native Indian languages.

In April, the CBSE had announced a phased implementation of the three-language formula from Class 6 and the introduction of a two-level system for mathematics and science for Class 9 from the 2026-27 academic session.

Under the proposed structure, mathematics and science will have two levels — mandatory standard and optional advanced courses. While all students will appear for a common 80-mark examination, those opting for higher proficiency can take an additional advance-level paper aimed at testing deeper conceptual understanding and higher-order thinking skills.