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The petition, submitted by educationist and former Maharashtra minister Dr Fauzia Khan, argues that the CBSE’s circular on three-language policy is arbitrary and unreasonable.
CBSE has directed schools to update their R3 language offerings for Classes 6 to 9 on the OASIS portal by June 30. (Representative Image)
A fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging a CBSE policy that mandates the study of three languages, including two native Indian languages, for Class 9 students from July 1.
The petition, submitted by educationist and former Maharashtra minister Dr Fauzia Khan, argues that the CBSE’s May 15 circular is arbitrary and unreasonable.
“The impugned circular acknowledges this teacher shortage in its own text, yet proceeds to mandate compliance. The result is that the only practical purpose served by the impugned circular, in the southern States, is the compulsory introduction of Hindi, and in the northern states, the compulsory introduction of Sanskrit, without any stated educational rationale,” the plea states, while seeking intervention in the main matter.
Khan, who is a member of the NCP-SCP party, contends that forcing non-Hindi-speaking states to introduce Hindi or Sanskrit violates the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
On May 27, the Supreme Court issued notice on a plea challenging the CBSE policy mandating the study of three languages.
According to a recent circular issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education, three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, will be compulsory for Class 9 students from July 1.
The move is part of the CBSE’s effort to align its scheme of studies with the NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.
“In order to adequately address the competencies envisaged at the secondary stage, these textbooks will be supplemented with one appropriate local or state literary material, selected by schools, such as short stories, poems, or nonfiction works,” the board said.
It added that detailed guidelines on selecting and using supplementary literary material pedagogically would be issued by June 15.
As per the May 15 circular, students may opt for a foreign language only as the third language after studying two native Indian languages, or as an additional fourth language.
“With effect from July 1, 2026, for Class IX, the study of three languages (R1, R2, R3) shall be compulsory, with at least two languages being native Indian languages,” the circular states.
The board said that until dedicated R3 textbooks are available, Class 9 students will use the Class 6 R3 textbooks (2026-27 edition) of the chosen language.
To keep the focus on learning and reduce undue pressure on students, the CBSE clarified that no board examination will be conducted for R3 at the Class 10 level.
“All assessments for R3 shall be entirely school-based and internal. The performance of students in R3 will be duly reflected in the CBSE certificate. It is clarified that no student will be barred from appearing in the Class X Board Examinations due to R3. Sample question papers, rubrics for internal assessment will be shared by the board shortly,” it added.
The board also directed schools to update their R3 language offerings for Classes 6 to 9 on the OASIS portal by June 30.
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