CBSE Three-Language Policy: SC Asks Centre To Consider Opt-Out For Class 6 Students This Year

CBSE Three-Language Policy: Supreme Court asks Centre to consider allowing Class 6 students to opt out of CBSE’s three-language policy this year, citing student comfort.

CBSE Three-Language Policy: The Supreme court's suggestion was made in the interest of student comfort and convenience. It aims to provide students and their families more time to adjust to the new language requirement.

Source : PTI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Supreme Court suggested optional delay for Class 6 language policy.
• Delay offers Class 6 students convenience, time to adjust.
• CBSE will consider court's suggestion on policy implementation.
• Current policy mandates two Indian languages for Class 6.

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to consider allowing Class 6 students to opt out of the CBSE’s three-language policy for the current academic year, saying the move would give students and their families more time to adjust to the new requirement.

The court made it clear that the suggestion was being offered in the interest of the comfort and convenience of students and families and was not an observation on the validity of the three-language policy itself.

The CBSE sought time to consider the suggestion during the hearing of petitions challenging the implementation of the policy.

SC Suggests One-Year Delay

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing pleas concerning the CBSE’s three-language framework.

The court suggested that the requirement for a third language for students currently in Class 6 could be introduced from the next academic year instead. This, the court indicated, would provide students with additional time to mentally prepare for the change.

At the same time, Justice Bagchi observed that students who are willing to study three languages from the current academic year could also be permitted to do so.

The suggestion therefore envisages an option for Class 6 students rather than a blanket rejection of the three-language requirement.

CBSE Seeks Time

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the CBSE, told the bench that the board would consider the suggestion and sought time to respond.

The development comes after the Centre and CBSE had earlier informed the court that they were working on possible arrangements for implementing the three-language framework for Class 6 students, including the requirement to study two Indian languages.

The Supreme Court had on May 27 agreed to hear a petition challenging the policy and issued notices to the Centre, CBSE and NCERT seeking their responses.

What CBSE Rules Say

The CBSE has also introduced a three-language requirement for Class 9 students from July 1. Under the framework, every Class 9 student is required to study three languages, with at least two of them being Indian languages.

In a statement, the CBSE said, "Every Class 9 student will study three languages. At least two of these three languages will be Indian languages.

The board has listed languages such as Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati and Odia among Indian languages. English, French, German, Arabic and Spanish are among the non-Indian languages listed by the board.

For Class 6, two Indian languages have been made compulsory under the current framework. The CBSE has also provided certain relaxations for students in Classes 7, 8 and 9 who were already studying two non-Indian languages.