Supreme Court Grants Class VI Students Relief from Third Language Exam Requirements

Supreme Court's Directive on Language Policy

The Supreme Court of India has instructed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to extend the same leniency regarding the revised three-language policy to students in Class VI, which was previously granted to those in Classes VII, VIII, and IX.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, emphasized that Class VI students should not be required to take a Board examination in their third language when they reach Class X.

This decision came after the court reviewed the transitional measures presented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, which indicated that students in Classes VII, VIII, and IX would continue their third language studies without the pressure of a Board examination.

The Supreme Court clarified that there would be no pass or fail for these students, only an appearance certificate, despite the government's opposition to extending this relaxation to Class VI.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench that discussions had occurred regarding the exemption for the current Class VI students from the revised language policy.

The government opposed the extension of this relaxation and requested to implement the policy for the ongoing academic year.

Mehta noted that out of 28,819 CBSE schools, only about 1.2% had not yet established the necessary facilities, while the rest were compliant with the new requirements.

The Supreme Court suggested a 'soft launch' for the Class VI students, considering the challenges in implementing the revised framework at this time.

In its ruling, the court acknowledged the schools' readiness and mandated that Class VI students receive the same exemptions as those in Class VII.

With this relaxation, Class VI students will continue to learn the third language but will not be required to take a Board examination in it when they reach Class X. Their promotion cannot be hindered due to the third-language examination.

The bench also stated that it would step in if any school attempted to hold back a student based on internal assessments in the third language.

Additionally, the court instructed the CBSE to appoint an officer to engage with schools that have yet to implement the necessary infrastructure and evaluate their challenges.

The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a series of petitions that contest the CBSE's revised three-language policy, which mandates the study of three languages, including at least two Indian languages.

Previously, the court had issued notices regarding these petitions and requested responses from the Centre, CBSE, and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

The petitions challenge the CBSE's Secondary School Curriculum for Classes IX-X for the academic year 2026-27 and related circulars from April and May. The petitioners argue that the new framework limits students' academic options by making the study of two Indian languages compulsory from Class VI.

Represented by senior advocates Anand Grover, Tripti Tandon, and advocate-on-record Rohit Kumar-I, the petitioners also expressed concerns about the availability of teachers, textbooks, and teaching materials, claiming that the revised curriculum was introduced after the academic year had commenced.

The Supreme Court had previously declined to halt the implementation of the revised policy while agreeing to investigate concerns regarding its execution, including the availability of educators and study resources.

Following this, the CBSE released implementation guidelines that clarified the transitional arrangements for the third language. Under the current relaxation, students in Classes VII, VIII, and IX will not face a Board examination in the third language in Class X, with assessments conducted internally at their schools.