Supreme Court Grants Class VI Students Relief from Third Language Exam Requirements

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has instructed the CBSE to exempt Class VI students from mandatory examinations in their third language, aligning them with the leniency already granted to Classes VII, VIII, and IX. This decision aims to alleviate the pressure on younger students while they continue to learn the language without the stress of formal assessments. The court's directive comes amidst ongoing petitions challenging the revised three-language policy, which mandates the study of two Indian languages from Class VI. The ruling emphasizes the importance of educational flexibility and addresses concerns regarding the availability of resources and infrastructure in schools.

By Ambika Singh Sep 28, 2026, 23:09 IST

Supreme Court's Directive on Language Policy

New Delhi: On Monday, the Supreme Court instructed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to extend the same leniency regarding the revised three-language policy to Class VI students that has already been provided to those in Classes VII, VIII, and IX.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, mandated that students in Class VI should not be required to take a Board examination in their third language when they progress to Class X.

This decision came after the court considered the transitional measures outlined by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, which indicated that while students in Classes VII, VIII, and IX would continue to learn the third language, they would not be obligated to take a CBSE Board exam in that subject.

The Supreme Court clarified, "There will be no pass or fail; only an appearance certificate will be issued," despite the government's opposition to extending this exemption to Class VI students.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench that discussions had occurred regarding the court's previous suggestion to exempt the current Class VI cohort from the revised language policy.

The government opposed the extension of this relaxation to Class VI and requested to implement the policy for the ongoing academic year.

Mehta noted that out of 28,819 CBSE schools, approximately 1.2% had not yet established the necessary facilities, while the rest were compliant with the new requirements, including the availability of textbooks and learning resources.

However, the Supreme Court suggested that a "soft launch" approach could be beneficial for Class VI students, considering the logistical challenges of implementing the revised framework at this time.

In its ruling, the court acknowledged the submissions regarding school readiness and ordered that "students in Class VI may receive the same exemption as those in Class VII."

With this exemption, Class VI students will continue to study the third language as part of their curriculum but will not be required to take a CBSE Board examination in that subject when they reach Class X. Their promotion or certification cannot be hindered due to the third-language Board examination.

The bench also stated it would take action if any school retained a student based on internal assessments in the third language.

Additionally, the court instructed the CBSE to appoint an officer to engage with schools that have yet to implement the necessary infrastructure and evaluate the challenges they face.

The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a series of petitions that challenge the CBSE's revised three-language policy, which mandates students to learn three languages, including at least two Indian languages.

Previously, the court had issued notices regarding petitions contesting this policy and requested responses from the Centre, CBSE, and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

These petitions challenge the CBSE's Secondary School Curriculum for Classes IX-X for the academic year 2026-27 and the circulars issued on April 9 and May 4. Petitioners argue that the revised framework limits students' academic choices by making the study of two Indian languages compulsory starting from Class VI.

Represented by senior advocate Anand Grover, advocate Tripti Tandon, and advocate-on-record Rohit Kumar-I, the petitioners also expressed concerns about the availability of teachers, textbooks, and teaching materials, alleging that the revised curriculum was introduced after the academic session had commenced.

The Supreme Court had previously declined to halt the implementation of the revised policy while agreeing to investigate concerns regarding its execution, including the availability of educators and study materials.

Following this, the CBSE released implementation guidelines clarifying the transitional arrangements for the third language. Under the current relaxation, students in Classes VII, VIII, and IX will not have to take a Board examination in the third language in Class X, with assessments being conducted internally at the school level.