Third language should be introduced in class 6, end by class 9: Supreme Court on CBSE's 3-language policy

The Supreme Court on Thursday observed that it could be stressful for students if the Central Board of School Education (CBSE)'s three-language policy mandate is introduced starting from class 9.

In fact, learning of third language should start in class 6 and must end by class 9, the Court opined.

"Don’t have a new language in 9th standard please. In 5th or 6th standard, you can start third language. And by 9th standard, it should stop, the third language. See the stress they (students) are having. Advise your government. The student in me is still alive!" the Court remarked.

A Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan was hearing the Tamil Nadu government’s plea challenging a Madras High Court judgment that had directed it to set up Navodaya Vidyalayas in every district.

During the hearing, the topic of CBSE schools briefly came up.

In response to a query by Justice Nagarathna, a counsel informed that a third-language is being made compulsory in CBSE schools only from the 9th standard.

The judge said that it could be stressful for the students to have to start learning a new language at the higher secondary level.

"That is very bad. In 9th, language is stressful. Why do you introduce a third language in 9th standard? Introduce it in 6th standard ... Please don’t have third language in 9th standard. As it is, the pressure starts from end of 8th standard," she said.

She batted for having a third language introduced in middle school instead.

Don’t have attitude of 'we won’t have central government schools in Tamil Nadu': Court

The Bench today also questioned the Tamil Nadu government's resistance to the High Court's directive to set up Navodaya schools.

"You must have Navodaya schools," said Justice Nagarathna.

"Talks are going on at the moment. So we don’t want to say anything at this point," replied the Tamil Nadu government counsel.

"The Central government will make all the expenditure. You have to make available only the land. All other States, Navodaya schools are there. Why are you depriving Tamil Nadu? Don’t have this attitude 'because Navodaya school is by Union government, why should we have it?'," Justice Nagarathna added.

The Court eventually agreed to adjourn the matter following a request by the Tamil Nadu government. The case will be heard next on August 11.

"Let them get instructions. Different government is there now (TVK). We don’t know what their policy is. You may have your education system etc but don’t prevent central government schools in Tamil Nadu," Justice Nagarathna said.

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