The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has defended its three-language policy to the Supreme Courtarguing that a significant number of its affiliated schools are already equipped to implement the new framework. The Board has maintained that almost half of its schools already teach two or more Indian languages in Class 9, while almost all have at least one Indian language teacher, making the transition practical and feasible, according to media reports.The allegations come as the Supreme Court is set to hear a petition challenging the implementation of the revised language policy for Year 9 students.
CBSE emphasizes the preparation of schools
In a detailed counter affidavit filed before the apex court, CBSE stated that 47.3% of its 28,848 affiliated schools already offer two or more Indian languages to Class 9 students. According to the Board, these schools meet the requirement of three languages without the need to hire additional teachers.The Board also informed the court that 99.19% of affiliated schools have at least one teacher capable of teaching an Indian language, indicating that the education system already has a strong foundation to implement the policy, according to media reports.Recognizing that some schools may need time to expand their language offerings, CBSE said it has allowed flexible staffing arrangements during the transition period to facilitate implementation.
The petition challenges a 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 challenges CBSE’s May 15 circular, which made the study of three languages compulsory for Class 9 students from July 1, 2026. The petitioners have argued that the move is arbitrary and unconstitutional, alleging violations of Articles 14, 19, 21 and 21A of the Constitution.According to the petition, CBSE had issued another notification just 36 days earlier, stating that the requirement of a third language at the class 9 level would not be applicable till the academic session 2029-30. The sudden reversal, they claim, has created confusion among schools, teachers and students.
Concerns about teachers, textbooks and assessments
The petitioners have also questioned the readiness of the schools to implement the revised framework. They argued that many institutions lack adequate language teachers, up-to-date textbooks or a clear board evaluation mechanism. The allegation alleges that students may have to rely on textbooks intended for lower grades and that schools have been able to assign teachers of other subjects who have only a basic command of the language to teach classes.The petition claims that such an agreement could affect the quality of language teaching and place an additional burden on students.
CBSE says subsequent guidelines addressed the complaints
Rejecting the concerns raised in the petition, CBSE informed the Supreme Court that subsequent policy clarifications have resolved many of the issues raised by the petitioners.The Council referred to its implementation guidelines issued on June 29 and a clarification circular issued on July 10, which indicated that these documents addressed operational concerns related to the deployment of the policy.CBSE argued that in view of these developments, several of the reliefs sought in the petition have become unnecessary.
Foreign languages are not being eliminated, the board says
One of the main concerns raised by the petitioners is that the new policy marginalizes foreign languages such as French, German and Spanish.CBSE rejected this claim, stating that there is no restriction on studying foreign languages. The Council clarified that students can continue to study a foreign language as one of the three prescribed languages or as an additional fourth language.According to CBSE, the petition incorrectly describes the revised framework as eliminating foreign languages, while the policy only prioritizes the inclusion of Indian languages as per the National Education Policy.
The new frame allows you to relax once
Under the revised language policy, Class 9 students are required to study three languages, with at least two Indian languages.However, CBSE has introduced a unique relaxation for students who are already pursuing two non-Indian languages such as English and French. Such students will be allowed to choose any Indian language to fulfill the revised requirement during the transition phase.The relaxation has been introduced to ensure pupils are not adversely affected while schools adapt to the new system.
NCERT ensures the preparation of textbooks
Supporting the government’s stand, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) informed the Supreme Court that it has already prepared, revised and disseminated textbooks in 22 scheduled languages to facilitate implementation of the language policy.NCERT also stated that the Ministry of Education has constituted a high-powered task force working in coordination with CBSE, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and academic experts to expedite the development of required Class 9 textbooks 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 policy continues.The case is likely to determine not only the immediate future of the revised Grade 9 language framework, but also provide judicial clarity on the balance between educational reforms, administrative preparation and students’ right to a smooth academic transition.