SUPREME COURT GRANTS CLASS 6 STUDENTS RELIEF FROM NEW CBSE THREE-LANGUAGE RULE

September 28, 2026

The Supreme Court has directed that students currently studying in Class 6 under the CBSE system be given the same exemption from the mandatory third-language requirement that has been extended to students in higher classes.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, issued the direction while hearing petitions challenging the implementation of the revised language framework. The court said the current Class 6 batch should be allowed to continue under the transitional arrangement, with implementation of the new requirement for them beginning from April 1, 2027.

The CBSE's revised framework requires students to study three languages, with at least two being Indian languages. The changes were introduced as part of the board's implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.

The Centre had told the court that nearly 99 per cent of CBSE schools had made arrangements for the policy and that only a small proportion had reported difficulties. Petitioners, however, raised concerns about the availability of teachers, textbooks and other resources, particularly because students had already begun the academic year with existing language choices.

The court's direction provides temporary relief to the present Class 6 batch while the broader legal challenge to the language policy remains under consideration. The matter is expected to be heard again after six weeks.