New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education has introduced a significant curriculum update aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 that will directly affect secondary school students. Under the new guidelines, CBSE has made it mandatory for students in Class 9 and Class 10 to clear a school-based internal assessment for a third language. This structural change is designed to enrich multilingual capabilities among students from an early stage, integrating holistic evaluation methods into the secondary education framework.
According to the official circular issued by the board on July 10, the new regulation will officially come into effect from the 2027-28 academic session. Students entering Class 10 during this academic year must successfully pass the internal assessment for their chosen third language, designated as R3, to be eligible for their Secondary School Examination passing certificate. While Class 9 students who fail the assessment will still be promoted to the next grade, they will be required to clear the accumulated backlog during their Class 10 academic year before graduation.
Fortunately for students anxious about final evaluations, the third language will not feature a written board examination and will remain entirely within the purview of school-level internal assessments. However, the requirement to pass remains strict, and schools are instructed to conduct a re-assessment for any student who fails to secure passing marks before the final board results are officially declared. This balanced approach ensures that students engage seriously with language learning without facing the added pressure of an external board exam.
