Supreme Court asks Centre to reconsider CBSE three-language policy for Class 6

The Supreme Court of India has requested the Central government to reconsider granting an exemption to current Class 6 students regarding the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) three-language policy. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana noted that the suggestion is intended to ensure the comfort of students and families rather than to comment on the legal validity of the policy itself.

The policy, set to be implemented for the 2026-2027 academic year, requires students from Class 6 to Class 9 to study three languages, with at least two being Indian languages. The Court suggested that while the policy could become mandatory for students entering Class 6 from January 2027, the current batch should be allowed to continue under existing arrangements to avoid logistical surprises mid-term.

This follows reports that the CBSE had previously decided against extending the same relaxations already being considered for students in Classes 7 through 10. The Court emphasized that providing this “elbow space” would be without prejudice to the ongoing legal challenges regarding the policy's validity and the definition of indigenous languages.