Supreme Court Asks CBSE to Exempt Class 6 Students From Third-Language Rule

The CBSE third-language rule has come under scrutiny in the Supreme Court, which has directed that students currently studying in Class 6 be given the same exemption already extended to Class 7 students. The court also said the mandatory language requirement should be implemented for the current Class 6 batch from April 1, 2027.

The direction came after parents raised concerns about the sudden introduction of the language requirement and its impact on students who had already been studying other languages. Concerns were also raised over the availability of physical textbooks following the change.

Supreme Court Extends Relief to Class 6

The Centre told the Supreme Court that it was not inclined to exempt Class 6 students from the policy during the current academic year. It said around 99 per cent of CBSE schools had adopted the third-language policy and had the necessary facilities, while approximately 1.2 per cent of schools were affected.

The court nevertheless directed that the present Class 6 batch receive the same exemption as Class 7 students. It clarified that the larger issue surrounding the mandatory language requirement would be considered separately.

The court said students should have the same “comfort” already provided to Class 7 students and set April 1, 2027, for implementation of the policy for the current Class 6 students.

Parents Raise Language and Textbook Concerns

During the hearing, parents argued that some students had been studying their chosen languages for several years and were now being asked to change them.

One example cited in court involved students who had studied Spanish from Class 4 but were subsequently shifted towards Sanskrit under the new arrangement.

Parents also questioned the availability of textbooks, saying physical copies were not readily available despite the Centre maintaining that study material was accessible.

The petitioners also raised questions about the treatment of English under the language framework and referred to provisions of the National Education Policy concerning language choice.

Court Seeks Comfort for Students

The bench also discussed whether a committee of senior officials should examine the difficulties faced by affected schools. The parents' side, however, argued that another committee would delay a decision.

The court emphasised that students should not be subjected to unnecessary difficulty because of the transition. The Centre maintained that the required facilities were available in most schools.

The Supreme Court has posted the matter for further consideration after six weeks. The Centre has been directed to file its response within four weeks, followed by a two-week period for the petitioners' rejoinder.

The larger legal questions surrounding the CBSE third-language rule remain pending before the court.