2 weeks ago
1
The Supreme Court connected Wednesday (May 27, 2026) agreed to analyse a plea challenging a Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) argumentation mandating the survey of 3 languages, including 2 autochthonal Indian languages, for Class 9 students opening July 1.
Also work | Why is the three-language argumentation controversial? | Explained
A seat of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi issued notices to the Centre, the CBSE and the NCERT and sought broad replies wrong 2 weeks.
The Supreme Court asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to taxable a study connected the logistical preparedness of the CBSE to instrumentality the determination and posted the substance for proceeding successful the 2nd week of July.
Senior advocator Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the petitioner Yashica Bhandari Jain and others, submitted that a nationwide circular has been issued by the CBSE, which states that the students person to survey 3 languages from the adjacent world year.
Senior advocator Kapil Sibal, appearing for immoderate different petitioners, said the contented progressive law issues of federalism and choice.
Language is simply a substance of choice, and cannot beryllium imposed, Mr. Sibal submitted.
The Supreme Court refused to walk immoderate interim bid and said it volition perceive the substance successful July.
According to a caller circular issued by the CBSE, the survey of 3 languages, including astatine slightest 2 autochthonal Indian languages, has been made compulsory for Class 9 students opening July 1.
The determination is portion of the CBSE's alignment of its strategy of studies with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.
"In bid to adequately code the competencies envisaged astatine the Secondary Stage, these textbooks volition beryllium supplemented with 1 due section oregon State literate material, selected by schools, specified arsenic abbreviated stories, poems, oregon nonfiction works," the committee said.
It added that elaborate guidelines regarding the enactment and pedagogical usage of supplementary literate worldly would beryllium issued by June 15.
According to the circular issued connected May 15, students opting for a overseas connection whitethorn lone bash truthful arsenic the 3rd connection aft studying 2 autochthonal Indian languages, oregon arsenic an further 4th language.
"With effect from July 1, 2026, for Class IX, the survey of 3 languages (R1, R2, R3) shall beryllium compulsory, with astatine slightest 2 languages being autochthonal Indian languages," the circular said.
The committee said till the dedicated R3 textbooks are available, Class 9 students shall usage the Class 6 R3 textbooks (2026-27 edition) of the chosen language.
The CBSE said to support the absorption connected learning and trim immoderate undue unit connected students, nary committee introspection shall beryllium conducted for R3 astatine the Class 10 level.
"All assessments for R3 shall beryllium wholly school-based and internal. The show of students successful R3 volition beryllium duly reflected successful the CBSE certificate. It is clarified that nary pupil volition beryllium barred from appearing successful the Class X Board Examinations owed to R3. Sample question papers, rubrics for interior appraisal volition beryllium shared by the committee shortly," it added.
The committee besides asked schools to update their R3 connection offerings for Classes 6 to 9 connected the OASIS portal by June 30.
According to the board, Class 6 R3 textbooks successful 19 scheduled languages volition beryllium made disposable to schools earlier July 1, portion for the remaining autochthonal Indian languages, schools whitethorn usage the disposable State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and state-level resources.
The committee further said schools facing a shortage of adequately-qualified autochthonal Indian connection teachers may, arsenic an interim arrangement, prosecute existing teachers of different subjects who person functional proficiency successful the connection concerned.
"Collaborative and flexible mechanisms specified arsenic inter-school assets sharing done Sahodaya clusters, virtual oregon hybrid teaching support, engagement of retired connection teachers, and utilisation of suitably qualified postgraduates whitethorn beryllium adopted," it added.
The CBSE further said relaxations would beryllium provided to children with peculiar needs successful accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, portion overseas students returning to India whitethorn get case-by-case exemptions from the request of studying 2 autochthonal Indian languages.
In April, the CBSE had announced a phased implementation of the three-language look from Class 6 and the instauration of a two-level strategy for mathematics and subject for Class 9 from the 2026-27 world session.
Under the projected structure, mathematics and subject volition person 2 levels — mandatory modular and optional precocious courses. While each students volition look for a communal 80-mark examination, those opting for higher proficiency tin instrumentality an further advanced-level insubstantial aimed astatine investigating deeper conceptual knowing and higher-order reasoning skills.
The CBSE had past said the archetypal Class 10 committee examinations nether the caller two-level strategy (standard and advanced) would beryllium conducted successful 2028 for the 2026-27 Class 9 cohort.
