Fauzia Khan. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
A fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging a CBSE policy mandating the study of three languages, including two native Indian languages, for Class 9 students beginning July 1.
The plea filed by Fauzia Khan, an educationist and former Maharashtra Minister, contends 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 said while seeking intervention in the main matter.
Ms. Khan, who belongs to the NCP-SCP party, said forcing non-Hindi states to introduce Hindi or Sanskrit violates the National Education Policy 2020.
The top court on May 27 had 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 (CBSE), the study of three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, has been made compulsory for Class 9 students beginning July 1.
The move is part of the CBSE’s alignment of its scheme of studies with the National Education Policy (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 regarding the selection and pedagogical use of supplementary literary material would be issued by June 15.
According to the circular issued on May 15, students opting for a foreign language may do so 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 said.
The board said till the dedicated R3 textbooks are available, Class 9 students shall use the Class 6 R3 textbooks (2026-27 edition) of the chosen language.
The CBSE said to keep the focus on learning and reduce any undue pressure on students, no board examination shall 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 asked schools to update their R3 language offerings for Classes 6 to 9 on the OASIS portal by June 30.
Published – June 09, 2026 12:51 pm IST
