The Supreme Court of India was requested on Tuesday to urgently take up petitions challenging the Central Board of Secondary Education’s mandatory three-language policy for Class 9 students. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing a petitioner, urged a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana to schedule the matter for hearing on Wednesday or Thursday. The counsel cited an acute shortage of qualified teachers and learning materials, emphasizing that students face significant uncertainty as the new academic term is already underway. Chief Justice Kant indicated that the court would consider the request.
Government and Education Bodies Defend Framework
The top court had previously issued notices to the Union Government, the National Council of Educational Research and Training, and the Central Board of Secondary Education regarding fresh petitions opposing the directive, having earlier listed the matter for July 29. In response, the Centre, the board, and the council filed separate affidavits defending the policy as a vital measure under the National Education Policy 2020 to promote multilingualism and national integration. The authorities have urged the court to dismiss the petitions seeking to overturn the mandate across affiliated schools nationwide.
Details of the CBSE Mandate
Under the policy, which aligns board guidelines with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023, Class 9 students are required to study three languages, at least two of which must be native Indian languages. According to board circulars, foreign languages may only be selected as a third language following two native Indian languages, or taken as an optional fourth subject. The framework also outlines that language instruction will be supplemented with local or state literary works selected by individual schools, with pedagogical guidelines scheduled for release by mid-June.
Transitional Provisions and Legal Challenges
To manage resource constraints while dedicated instructional materials are prepared, the board specified that Class 9 students will temporarily utilize Class 6 textbooks for their third language during the 2026–27 session. The board also clarified that no board examinations will be conducted for the third language at the Class 10 level to minimize academic stress. Meanwhile, legal representatives for the petitioners, including senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for petitioner Yashica Bhandari Jain and others, have argued that the directives violate the Right to Education Act by enforcing language selections without alternatives. The apex court had earlier instructed Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to submit a report assessing the board’s logistical readiness to execute the transition.
