New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a public interest litigation challenging the Central Board of Secondary Education’s new directive that mandates three languages for Grade 9 students starting July 1, 2026. The petition, filed jointly by a coalition of students, teachers, and parents, questions the rapid implementation of the curriculum changes which align with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.
Appearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi emphasized the distress the mandate causes to students preparing for their upcoming secondary school milestones. Rohatgi argued that forcing students to suddenly master two additional languages ahead of the Class 10 board year would disrupt critical academic preparation and trigger widespread administrative chaos across schools. The petitioners requested an immediate hearing, leading the apex court to schedule the matter for a formal review next week.
The controversial policy requires all Class 9 students to study three languages, designated as R1, R2, and R3, with a strict requirement that at least two must be native Indian languages. While the CBSE issued a circular on May 15 clarification that the third language would be evaluated through internal school-based assessments rather than high-stakes board examinations, critics point out serious logistical gaps. Educational institutions are currently grappling with severe shortages of qualified native language instructors, unaligned timetables, and an absence of dedicated secondary textbooks, prompting the board to temporarily suggest using Class 6 materials for the older students.
