Three-language policy: Supreme Court directs CBSE to grant class 6 same exemption allowed to class 7

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to extend the exemption granted to students of classes VII, VIII and IX under the three-language formula to Class VI students as well [Yashica Bhandari Jain & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.].

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana overruled the Central government’s stand against the exemption. The government had said that nearly 99 percent of schools under the CBSE are ready to implement the policy.

Under the transitional framework mandated by the Court, students will continue studying the third language as part of their curriculum, but will not face a mandatory class X Board examination in the subject, nor will their final promotion or certification be stalled on account of it.

The direction was passed in a batch of petitions filed by parents and teachers challenging a CBSE circular issued on May 15, 2026.

The circular had aligned the CBSE scheme of studies with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 (NCF-SE), mandating that students in Classes VI-IX study three languages, including at least two native Indian languages.

The petitioners argued that the sudden mandate reversed CBSE’s earlier circular of April 9, 2026, which had deferred the third-language requirement until 2029–30.

They contended that introducing the mandate mid-stream caused acute academic disruption as there was a severe deficit of trained language teachers and textbooks. They added that it unfairly prejudiced students preparing for secondary board examinations.

While issuing notice in May, the top court had flagged administrative and logistical hurdles over the sudden rollout.

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