The Supreme Court has asked CBSE to reconsider whether students currently studying in Class 6 should be given a one-time reprieve from the full impact of its revised three language policy. The issue matters because under CBSE's existing June 29 guidelines, students who entered Class 6 in the 2026-27 academic year are expected to study three languages, including at least two Indian languages, and eventually take a Class 10 board examination in the third language, or R3.

On August 20, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant suggested that CBSE consider sparing the present Class 6 batch and introducing the full requirement for a later batch instead. The Court has not suspended the policy or granted the exemption yet. It has asked CBSE, the Centre and NCERT to revisit implementation and return with greater clarity.

Three Language Policy: What the Supreme Court Asked CBSE to Reconsider

The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana, focused on three practical questions. First, could the current Class 6 batch be given additional time or a one-time relaxation? Second, does the school system have enough qualified teachers, textbooks and other resources to implement the policy effectively?

Third, should the third language begin in Class 6 at all, or would Class 3 or 4 be a more appropriate starting point? “If you have chosen Class 6 as the starting point, you may consider giving a reprieve to Class 6 students of this year. You can introduce it from next year,” the Court observed during the hearing. The bench asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for CBSE, to reconsider the issues and return to Court. This is therefore a proposal under judicial consideration, not yet a final exemption.

What CBSE's Current Rule Says for Class 6

CBSE issued its revised guidelines on June 29 as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework. Under the scheme, students study three languages, of which at least two must be Bhartiya Bhashas. For students who entered Class 6 in 2026-27, CBSE's guideline is explicit: when this batch reaches Class 10, students “shall take the Board examination of R3.” CBSE has also said that dedicated Class 6 learning resources for R3 in 22 scheduled Indian languages are being made available through NCERT. That makes the current Class 6 batch different from several older batches that have received transitional protection.

Classes 7 to 9 Have Relief, But Not a Full Exemption

Students currently in Classes 7, 8 and 9 have not been freed from the three-language requirement altogether. They continue to study three languages. However, CBSE's June 29 guidelines say their third language will be assessed internally by their schools and will not become a CBSE board examination when they reach Class 10. There is also protection for students who had already chosen two non-Indian languages. For example, students with combinations such as English and French can retain those languages during the transition while adding one Bhartiya Bhasha as R3. The current Class 10 batch in 2026-27 is completely outside the new system and continues with the earlier two-language structure. The Supreme Court's concern is that the present Class 6 batch did not receive a comparable transitional cushion.

Why Parents Challenged the Policy

Parents and foreign-language teachers have challenged aspects of the rollout, arguing that schools were not given enough time to arrange qualified teachers, suitable textbooks and infrastructure for multiple Indian-language options. The Supreme Court has taken those implementation concerns seriously. The bench specifically questioned whether sufficient B.Ed-qualified language teachers are available and sought a roadmap showing how CBSE intends to provide the necessary human resources and learning material.

But the other side of the argument also needs to be included.

CBSE told the Court that 47.3% of its 28,848 affiliated schools already offer two or more Indian languages to Class 9 students and therefore meet that part of the new requirement without needing an additional teacher. The Board also said 99.19% of affiliated schools have at least one Indian-language teacher and that flexible staffing arrangements have been permitted during the transition. So the dispute is not simply that schools have no resources. It is whether resources are adequate and consistent enough for a nationwide mandatory rollout.

Chief Justice of India Raises English Question Too

The hearing also moved beyond the immediate Class 6 issue. The bench questioned CBSE's description of English as a “non-native” language. The Chief Justice of India and the other judges indicated that the status of English in India may be more complicated than simply placing it alongside languages such as French, German or Spanish.

CBSE's June guidelines classify English, French, German, Arabic and Spanish as examples of non-native languages, while Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali and other Indian languages fall within its Bhartiya Bhasha category. The Court said the English question was a larger issue that could be examined separately. At the same time, the bench strongly supported learning Indian languages and cautioned against treating regional languages as inferior.

What Happens to Class 6 Students Now?

For the moment, CBSE's June 29 rules remain the operative framework. That means current Class 6 students are still covered by the full three language policy, including the future Class 10 R3 board examination, unless CBSE changes the rules or the Supreme Court passes a further order. CBSE, the Centre and NCERT have now been asked to reconsider implementation and provide greater clarity on resources and the transition for the current batch. For parents, the key point is therefore not that Class 6 students have already received an exemption.

They have not. What changed on August 20 is that the country's highest court explicitly asked CBSE to consider giving them one. If the Board accepts that suggestion, the present Class 6 batch could avoid a third-language board paper when it reaches Class 10. Until CBSE responds, however, the existing rule remains in place.