Supreme Court Directs CBSE to Exempt Current Class 6 Batch from 3-Language Policy
A Supreme Court bench led by CJI Surya Kant has asked CBSE to explore granting a one-time exemption to the 2026–27 Class 6 batch from its three-language policy. Citing mid-session stress and infrastructure readiness, the court urged phased implementation, leading the Centre to plan consultations ahead of the September 17 hearing.
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CBSE Exemption: The Supreme Court of India has ordered the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to examine the possibility of offering one-time immediate exemption to the present batch of Class 6 students in its three-language policy in the ongoing 2026-27 academic year. As per a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, the CBSE has been asked to give "breathing room" to the Class 6 students regarding the implementation of the policy.
Under the CBSE three-language policy, which is in tune with NEP 2020 and NCF-SE, studying three languages, including at least two Indian languages, is compulsory from middle school onwards. The petitioners have raised the issue of difficulty faced by the students and the schools because of the introduction of the third language policy in the middle of the academic session. According to the Apex Court, although the idea of encouraging multilingualism and laying foundations in native languages is laudable, the implementation should be gradual in nature to ensure that the schools get enough time to prepare themselves.
Summary of Policy vs. Court Directives
Below are the policy and court directives og CBSE’s Class 6 Batch from the 3-Language Policy:
| Parameter | NEP 2020 Three-Language Framework | Supreme Court Interim Direction |
| Language Mandate | Three languages (at least two native to India) | Status quo maintained for the current Class 6 batch |
| Target Group | Classes 6 to 10 systematically | Exemption granted exclusively to current Class 6 students |
| Implementation Timeline | Phased rollout under curriculum updates | Paused immediate enforcement for the ongoing session |
| School Compliance | Mandatory setup of language faculty | Directed not to enforce immediate curriculum shifts mid-term |
Key Highlights of the Supreme Court Order
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Scope of Exemption: Only relevant to the students who are studying at Class 6 during the 2026-27 session and would be allowed to pursue the same language program without any drastic structural changes.
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Reason for the Need for Interference: As per the Apex Court’s observation, adding a third language to the curriculum mid-session would put unnecessary academic pressure on the students and also be logistically challenging for parents and the school.
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Phased Implementation: The Apex Court also stated that although NEP 2020’s policy of having a three-language formula intends to make the students multilingual, its implementation should take place in a phased manner starting with the beginning of the academic year.
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Board Direction: The CBSE Board is expected to give detailed directives to all the affiliated government and private schools regarding this exemption.
Siddhi Sharma is an education journalist at Jagran Josh. A Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from IP University, she brings sharp newsroom instincts developed during her previous stint at Zee News. At Jagran Josh, Siddhi specializes in decoding the educational updates. Her coverage is highly exam-centric, ranging from curated news blogs for competitive exams to crucial school board and university news. Combining her strong media foundations with a research-driven approach, she creates reliable, high-utility content that helps students and aspirants stay ahead of the curve. Her writing is factual, engaging, and tailored to meet the fast-paced needs of modern learners and exam aspirants.
