New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that although the third language (R3) will not be part of the Class 10 Board examination for the current batch of Class 9 students, the removal of the school-related test in this subject will be acceptable for students to receive the CBSE Secondary School Examination Pass Certificate.Explanation, given through CBSE Tips for July 10comes amid ongoing debate over the Council’s revised trilingual policy. Under the new system, students entering Class 9 in the 2026-27 academic session will learn three languages, of which two must be Bhartiya Bhashas (Indian languages). Although the third language may not have Board exams in Class 10 for this batch, students must successfully complete the internal exams conducted by their schools.
R3 assessment is valid even if there is no Board exam
According to the circular, students who have passed Class 10 in the academic session of 2027-28 will not appear for the CBSE Board examination in the third language (R3). However, they must qualify the school-based examination to be eligible for the Class 10 certificate.The board has also ordered that if a student fails to clear the R3 examination in class 10, the school concerned should re-evaluate the results of Class 10 before it is declared. CBSE has also set requirements for students who cannot clear the Class 9 exam. Such students will still be promoted to Class 10 but will be required to clear the expected Class 9 R3 exam while studying in the next year.The board said that the examination plan for class 9 has already been released, while language learning materials are being provided through the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
Language principles reviewed and a short break
The July 10 circular is based on the CBSE’s preliminary guidelines issued on June 29 under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.Under the revised policy, every student in Class 9 from the academic session of 2026-27 has to learn three languages, two of which should be Bhartiya Bhashas. Students who are already learning two non-native languages, such as English and French or German, will be given one break during the transition period. They can continue learning those languages but must add Bhartiya Bhasha as a third language.The board has made it clear that there will be no change for students studying in Class 10 during the academic year 2026-27, who will continue under the existing bilingual system.For students entering class 6 from the session 2026-27 onwards, the third language will be the subject of the Board examination when they reach class 10, as textbooks and voluntary studies are provided.
The plan continues to face legal challenges
The three-language law is the focus of a case at the Supreme Court, with a group of parents and foreign language teachers questioning its timing and school readiness.The petitioners said that the policy was suddenly implemented after the course had already started and they complained about the availability of teachers, textbooks and the burden on the students.In response to the Supreme Court, the CBSE has defended this policy, saying that almost half of the schools it connects with already have two or more Indian languages in class 9, while more than 99% have at least one Indian language teacher. The board also maintained that its June 29 and July 10 directives address many of the operational challenges raised by the petitioners.Earlier, the revised language also drew criticism from a number of parents, students and educational institutions, who said that introducing an additional language to secondary schools would increase academic pressure. In response to such complaints, the CBSE has emphasized that the purpose of the policy is to promote multilingualism and to ensure that “no student will suffer” during the transition. The agency said it continues to focus on meaningful language learning instead of tests and has offered regular breaks, flexible work arrangements and other extras to help schools implement the new system.