Education News | CBSE | Three-Language Policy
The Supreme Court of India has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to extend the transitional exemption under its three-language policy to students currently studying in Class 6. The decision allows these students to be assessed in their third language through school-level internal assessment rather than a separate CBSE Class 10 board examination in that language.
The following is a rephrased, publication-ready news report based on the supplied text, with clear subheadings and key points for students, parents and educators.
Key Highlights
Supreme Court's Direction on Class 6 Exemption
The Supreme Court issued the direction on September 28, 2026, while hearing petitions challenging aspects of CBSE's three-language policy. The bench comprised Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
The Court extended the transitional arrangement to the current Class 6 batch despite the Centre's opposition to granting the additional exemption. The decision aims to protect students who had already selected their languages under the existing arrangements.
Concern Over Mid-Session Changes
The Court expressed concern about changing language requirements after students had already made their selections and begun their studies.
Earlier, the bench had asked the Centre and CBSE to consider a gradual rollout of the revised arrangement from the 2027 academic session. The objective was to reduce disruption for students and give schools sufficient time to prepare for implementation.
What the Exemption Means for Students
Under the transitional arrangement:
The exemption is a transitional measure; it does not mean that the Supreme Court has struck down the three-language policy itself.
Government's Statement on School Readiness
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Court that the government had held detailed discussions following its earlier observations. He stated that approximately 99% of the 28,819 CBSE-affiliated schools had the necessary arrangements to implement the policy, while around 1.2% still required facilities.
The government also submitted that textbooks and learning materials were available and that students had already selected their languages under the existing framework.
Court Directs CBSE to Address Infrastructure Gaps
The Supreme Court directed CBSE to appoint an officer to contact schools that had not yet established the required facilities and identify the difficulties they faced.
The bench also indicated that it would intervene if a school withheld a student's promotion on the basis of the third-language internal assessment. CBSE was directed to submit its response within four weeks, after which the petitioners could file their rejoinder.
What Happens Next?
The September 28 direction provides transitional relief to the current Class 6 batch. The broader petitions challenging the three-language framework remain under consideration, and the Court's direction should not be interpreted as the cancellation of the overall policy.
Students and parents should follow official CBSE circulars and school communications for implementation details.
Source authentication
The main report and the key developments above are supported by the following published sources:
1. NDTV Education — Primary news source
Published September 28, 2026, at 16:04 IST
Confirms the Class 6 exemption, internal assessment arrangement, school-readiness figures and Court's directions.
Editorial note: NDTV Education's September 28 report is the source for the supplied article. The Supreme Court record is the appropriate primary source for verifying the precise wording and legal scope of the direction. The article above is a rephrased summary, not a verbatim reproduction or an official CBSE notification.