CBSE mandates a qualifying third language for Classes 9 and 10 under NEP 2020 from 2026–27 onwards.
Students must pass a school-conducted internal third-language assessment to receive the Class 10 pass certificate officially.
The policy faces a Supreme Court challenge, while the Centre defends multilingual education under the NEP framework.
The Central Board of Secondary Education now requires students in Classes 9 and 10 to pass a third language as a qualifying subject. A July 10 circular enforces this mandate under the National Education Policy 2020 framework.
The updated policy affects learners starting Class 9 during the 2026-27 academic year and those entering Class 10 in 2027-28 as reported by India Today.
Referred to as R3, the third language will not be tested in the Class 10 board exams. To obtain their Secondary School Examination pass certificate, learners must successfully complete an internal assessment conducted by their schools.
Assessment Rules and Ambiguities
Schools must organize a reassessment prior to the declaration of final board results if a candidate does not clear the initial Class 10 internal evaluation.
The board has not clarified the consequences of failing this subsequent test. The directive leaves it ambiguous whether unsuccessful candidates will get provisional results, undergo further testing or face the withholding of their pass certificates.
Ninth graders who do not pass the language evaluation will still advance to Class 10 during the 2027-28 cycle. However, they must clear the pending Class nine requirement while completing their tenth-grade studies.
Three Language Formula Implementation
An earlier directive issued on June 29 detailed the broader rollout, introducing the three-language formula beginning in Class six for the 2026-27 academic year.
Under this updated structure, pupils will learn three languages, with a minimum of two being native to India.
Learners in Classes seven, eight and nine who already chose a foreign language in addition to English are permitted to continue that subject. However, they must also study an additional Indian native language. Previously, students generally dropped the third language after Class eight.
The existing Class 10 cohort sitting for the 2026-27 board exams will not be impacted by these modifications.
Legal Challenges and Defense
The language mandate is currently facing a legal challenge. A writ petition contesting the circulars has urged the court to reinstate the board's April 9 stance, which had effectively postponed the mandatory third language rollout at the Class nine level until the 2029-30 academic year.
On July 13, Subhash Chand, Under Secretary in the Department of School Education and Literacy, submitted a nine-page counter-affidavit defending the policy on behalf of the Ministry of Education.
This filing responded to a notice issued by the Supreme Court on May 27, 2026.
The Centre argued that education falls under the Concurrent List, granting both the Union and State governments the authority to implement the National Education Policy.
Furthermore, the government maintained that the formula advances key public objectives, including promoting multilingualism, preserving Indian languages, strengthening cognitive development and fostering national integration alongside cultural diversity.
