The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has defended its policy of three languages in the face of Supreme CourtHe argues that many of the participating schools are equipped to implement the new policy. The agency added that nearly half of its schools already teach two or more Indian languages in grade 9, with nearly all having at least one Indian language teacher, making the transition easy and feasible, according to media reports.These submissions come as the Supreme Court is set to hear a petition challenging the implementation of the revised language curriculum for Class 9 students.
CBSE shows the preparation of the schools
In a detailed affidavit submitted to the apex court, CBSE said that 47.3% of its 28,848 affiliated schools already offer two or more languages to Class 9 students. The board said that the schools follow the three-language policy without the need to hire additional teachers.The board also told the court that 99.19% of the schools in the group have at least one teacher who can teach an Indian language, which shows that the education system already has a strong foundation to implement the policy, according to media reports.Acknowledging that some schools may need time to expand their medium, CBSE said it has allowed flexible staffing arrangements during the transition period to reduce workload.
The petition opposes the sudden change in policy
The legal challenge has been filed by a group of parents from Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and Chennai, along with foreign language teachers.The petition is against the CBSE’s May 15 circular, which made learning three languages compulsory for Class 9 students from July 1, 2026. The petitioners say the move is biased and unconstitutional, saying it violates Articles 14, 19, 21, 21 of the Constitution.According to the petition, the CBSE had issued another notification 36 days earlier, stating that the third language requirement in class 9 would not come into effect until the 2029-30 academic session. They say, the sudden change has caused confusion among schools, teachers, and students.
Teacher concerns, textbooks, and assessments
The petitioners have also asked about the readiness of schools to implement the revised policy. He said that many institutions do not have enough language teachers, updated textbooks, or evaluation methods. The petition states that students have to rely on textbooks for lower grades and that schools are allowed to appoint teachers of other subjects who are proficient in the language to conduct classes.The petition argues that such a system would disrupt language learning and place an additional burden on students.
CBSE says the guidelines later responded to the complaints
Rejecting the objections raised in the petition, the CBSE told the Supreme Court that the details of the policy followed have resolved many of the issues raised by the petitioners.The agency also referred to its operational guidelines issued on June 29 and an explanatory document issued on July 10, stating that these documents described the challenges of the work related to the implementation of the policy.CBSE said that, in view of the current situation, most of the questions asked have become redundant.
Foreign languages are not excluded, the organization says
One of the concerns raised by these petitioners is that the new policy would stop foreign languages such as French, German, and Spanish.CBSE denied this, saying there is no ban on learning foreign languages. The organization explained that students can continue to study another language as one of the three listed languages or as another language.According to CBSE, the petition misrepresents the revised system as excluding foreign languages, whereas the policy only prioritizes the inclusion of Indian languages in line with the National Education Policy.
The new frame allows for one relaxation
Under the revised language policy, students of class 9 have to study three languages, two of which should be Indian languages.However, CBSE has introduced a one-time relaxation for students who are already pursuing two non-Indian languages, such as English and French. The students will be allowed to choose any Indian language to meet the requirements changed during the transition period.The relaxation has been put in place to ensure that students are not affected as schools adapt to the new system.
NCERT ensures the preparation of textbooks
In support of the government’s initiative, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) told the Supreme Court that it has already prepared, evaluated, and published textbooks in 22 languages designed to support the implementation of language policies.NCERT also said that the Ministry of Education has formed a High Power Task Force which is working in collaboration with CBSE, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and education experts to improve the implementation of Class 9 textbooks which are required during the transition period.
Supreme Court to hear the matter
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter as the debate over the implementation of the three-language law continues.This case should determine not only the future of the language of Class 9 that has been changed but will also provide a clear understanding between the changes in the curriculum, the planning of the administration, and the right of students to change their education easily.