Campus Times | Lucknow 

A fresh legal challenge has emerged against the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) decision to introduce a compulsory three-language framework for Class 9 students from July 1, with parents and students approaching the Supreme Court seeking urgent intervention.

Concerns over academic pressure

The plea was mentioned before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday, where senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi raised concerns over the timing and impact of the policy on students preparing for their Class 10 Board examinations next year.

According to the petitioners, introducing an additional language requirement at this stage of schooling could place an added burden on students already dealing with intense academic schedules and competitive pressure. The counsel argued that many students may now be forced to begin learning a completely new language with limited preparation time.

The Supreme Court, while hearing the urgent mentioning, indicated that the matter would be listed before the appropriate Bench next week. The petitioners had requested an early hearing on May 25.

What the CBSE circular says

The controversy stems from a CBSE circular issued on May 15, which made the study of three languages mandatory for students entering Class 9. Under the revised framework, at least two of the three languages must be Indian languages. Foreign languages, meanwhile, can only be selected as a third language or as an optional fourth subject.

CBSE has stated that the policy aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, both of which promote multilingual learning and greater emphasis on Indian languages in school education.

No separate board exam for third language

The Board has also clarified that students will not have to appear for a separate Board examination for the third language in Class 10. Instead, evaluation for the additional language will remain school-based and internal, though the performance will still be recorded in the final CBSE certificate.

The development has triggered widespread discussion among educators and parents, with many questioning whether schools and students have been given adequate time to adapt to the new language policy before its implementation.