CBSE Issues Clarifications on Three Language Formula, Relaxations for Current Secondary Classes

NEW DELHI, June 29: The current batches of Classes 7, 8, and 9 who have already taken two foreign languages ​​would continue with the same with one additional native Indian language (Bharatiya Bhasha), revised guidelines issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said on Monday.

In a circular issued in May, CBSE had stated that students in Class 9 too will have to adopt three-language policy where two of three languages ​​they learn should be native to India. Following this, parents of students who were learning foreign languages ​​like French, German, Japanese, Spanish and so on and were asked to switch mid-session had protested at the abrupt switch.

The current batch of Class 10 will not have to follow the new language policy, the education board stated. The current batches studying in Classes 7, 8, and 9 would not be required to give board examination in third language when they progress to Class 10, the statement further added.

The grade appropriate resource material would be made available in a time-bound manner. The National Education Policy 2020 recommends learning three languages, with at least two of the three languages ​​being native to India.

“While CBSE aims to equip learners with competency in multiple Bharatiya Bhashas (native Indian languages) and promote the vibrancy of language learning, it is equally committed to ensuring that the process of learning and growth remains balanced,” CBSE said in its press statement on Monday. Further, the introduction of the third language (R3) in Secondary Stage (Class 9 and Class 10), is an extension of language learning from the Middle Stage (Classes 6 to 8).

In pursuit of the above objectives, it is considered necessary to issue guidelines regarding the implementation of the language policy in CBSE-affiliated schools with effect from the 2026-27 academic session. CBSE has reiterated that there will be no change for students who are in Class 10 during 2026-27, and they will continue with the old system of two languages. No third language is required to be taken by this batch.

Every student in Class 9 would study three languages. Out of these three languages, at least two would be Bharatiya Bhashas. Examples of Bharatiya Bhashas: Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Odia, Assamese, etc. Examples of non-native languages ​​are English, French, German, Arabic, Spanish, etc. The following situations will help clarify the doubts, if any, in the minds of students in Class 9, CBSE has stated.

For Class 9, the third language (R3) will be assessed by the school through an internal school-based assessment only. There will be no CBSE Board examination for this third language when this batch progresses to Class 10 in 2027-28, CBSE has stated. CBSE and NCERT will provide grade-appropriate learning resources to help students learn the third language, the press release states.

“For students who are in Class 7 or 8 in 2026-27, when you reach Class 9 and 10, you will continue studying three languages, with two of them being Bharatiya Bhashas,” the release states. There is relaxation for the current batch of Class 7 (2026-27) and Class 8 (2026-27), the students who have already selected and started studying two non-native languages ​​need to study one additional Bharatiya Bhasha and continue the same till Class 10.

“The third language (R3) will be assessed by the school through an internal school-based assessment only. There will be no CBSE Board examination for this third language when these batches progress to Class X.”

For Class 6, out of the three languages, two would be Bharatiya Bhashas for this batch and onwards. When this batch and the subsequent Class 6 batches progress to Class 10, they shall take the Board examination of R3, CBSE has stated. “The dedicated R3 textbooks for Class 6 in 22 Scheduled Bharatiya Bhashas are being made available on www.ncert.nic.in,” CBSE has stated.

The following categories are exempted from the three-language policy:

For Children with Special Needs (CwSN): Relaxations and exemptions from the compulsory third language requirement are granted as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.

For schools outside India: Full exemption from a native Indian language as third language (R3) is provided to all CBSE schools situated outside India.

Foreign students returning to India are also exempted from studying a native Indian language as third language (R3), CBSE has stated.

In the case of parents/guardians migrating to another State, the student may continue with the existing combination of languages ​​they opted for as R3 in Middle Stage in Class 9 also. In such cases, schools must necessarily provision adequate resources to support the student’s choices.

“Flexible staffing provisions have been provided. Schools are required to engage existing teachers (with functional proficiency), retired teachers, postgraduates, or use Sahodaya clusters (inter-school sharing) and virtual/hybrid teaching,” CBSE has stated.

No student shall be disadvantaged due to this alignment. The focus remains on joyful, meaningful language learning, not on examination. CBSE will endeavor to handhold schools, in the best possible manner, through additional learning resources (as required) and capacity building in the implementation of NEP 2020. Schools are requested to communicate these provisions positively to teachers, students, and parents, emphasizing the long-term benefits of multilingual proficiency and cultural rootedness,” CBSE has stated.

(Rohit Kumar)