SC Refuses to Pass Order Against CBSE’s Three Language Policy, Next Hearing on July 14

CBSE Three Language Policy: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to pass any interim order on a petition challenging the implementation of the CBSE three-language policy for class 9 students from the 2026-27 academic year. 

As per reports the SC bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana stated that it will not grant an interim protection and ordered that the plea be tagged with similar petitions already pending before the court. The SC bench stated that a single-line order cannot be passed today, and the matter was argued at length. There is no question of interim protection, the court added. 

The petition was filed by NGO Friends of People for Active Democracy. During the hearing, the organisation's counsel clarified that it was not challenging the three-language policy but the implementation.

The SC bench has, however, decided to hear the matter along with other related petitions and fixed a hearing date for July 14, 2026. 

The petitions have been filed in relation to the CBSE circular issued on May 15, 2026, as part of the board's efforts to align its curriculum with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SR) 2023. 

CBSE Three Language Policy

As per the policy, class 9 students will be required to study three languages from July 1, with at least two of them being native Indian languages. Students who wish to study a foreign language can do so only as the third language after studying two Indian languages and an additional fourth language. 

CBSE stated that no board examination will be conducted for the third language in class 10. All assessments will be school-based and internal. The performance of students will be reflected in their CBSE certificates, and no students will be prevented from appearing for the class 10 board exams because of R3 or the third language. 

The board has also directed schools to update their third language offerings on the OASIS portal by June 30, 2026. Class 6 R3 textbooks in 19 scheduled languages will be made available before July 1, while schools may use SCERT and state-level resources for other native Indian languages. 

CBSE has also allowed schools to temporarily use teachers from other subjects who have a functional proficiency in the language concerned. The board has also suggested measures such as inter-school resource sharing, virtual teaching support, and engaging retired language teachers and appointing suitably qualified postgraduates for the purpose. 

Relaxation will be available for children with special needs under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. Foreign students returning to India may also receive exemptions on a case-by-case basis from the requirement of studying two native Indian languages.