NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that while the third language (R3) will not be part of the Class 10 Board examination for the current batch of Class 9 students, assessment of the subject will be mandatory for students to receive the CBSE Secondary School Examination Passing Certificate.The clarification, issued through CBSE Implementation Guidelines 10th Julyit comes amid ongoing debate over the Council’s revised three-language policy. Under the new framework, students entering Class 9 in the 2026-27 academic session will study three languages, with at least two required to be Bhartiya Bhashas (Indian languages). Although the third language will not lead to a Board examination in class 10 for this batch, students will have to successfully complete the internal assessment conducted by their schools.
Mandatory R3 assessment even though the Board exam has not been taken
According to the circular, students progressing to Class 10 in the academic session 2027-28 will not appear for a CBSE Board examination in third language (R3). However, they must qualify the school assessment to be eligible for the Class 10 passing certificate.The Council has also directed that if a student fails the R3 assessment in class 10, the concerned school must conduct a reassessment before the declaration of class 10 results. CBSE has also made provisions for students who are unable to clear the assessment in class 9. These students will still be promoted to class 10 but will have to pass the pending assessment of class 9 R3 while studying in the next academic year.The Board said that the assessment framework for class 9 has already been released, while resources for language learning are available through the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
Revised language policy and transitional relaxations
The July 10 circular is based on CBSE’s earlier implementation guidelines issued on June 29 under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.Under the revised framework, all students of Class 9 in the academic session 2026-27 must study three languages, with at least two from Bhartiya Bhashas. Students who are already studying two non-native languages, such as English and French or German, have received a unique relaxation during the transition period. They can continue to study these languages but must add a Bhartiya Bhasha as a third language.The Board has clarified that there will be no change for students currently studying in Class 10 during the academic session 2026-27, who will continue with the existing dual language regime.For students entering Class 6 from the 2026-27 session onwards, the third language will eventually become a Board examination subject by the time they reach Class 10, as dedicated textbooks and curricula are developed.
The policy continues to face legal challenges
The three-language policy has been at the center of a legal challenge before the Supreme Court, with a group of parents and foreign language teachers questioning its implementation timetable and school readiness.The petitioners have argued that the policy was brought in abruptly after the academic session had already started and have raised concerns about availability of faculty, textbooks and burden on students.In its response to the Supreme Court, CBSE has defended the policy, stating that almost half of its affiliated schools already offer two or more Indian languages in Class 9, while more than 99% have at least one Indian language teacher. The Board has also maintained that its June 29 and July 10 directives address many of the operational concerns raised by petitioners.Earlier, the revised language framework had also drawn criticism from several parents, students and education bodies, who argued that introducing an additional language at the secondary stage could increase academic pressure. In response to these concerns, CBSE has stressed that the aim of the policy is to promote multilingualism while ensuring that “no student will be disadvantaged” during the transition. The Board has said the focus continues on meaningful language learning rather than exams and has provided transitional relaxations, flexible staffing arrangements and additional learning resources to support schools implementing the new framework.