NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Saturday announced that the study of three languages will become compulsory for students from Class IX beginning July 1, 2026, in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.
In a circular issued on May 15, the Board clarified that students must study three languages referred to as R1, R2 and R3, with at least two of them being native Indian languages. However, to reduce academic pressure, the CBSE stated that there will be no Board examination for the third language at the Class X level.
The Board said all assessments for the third language (R3) would be conducted internally by schools. Students’ performance in the subject will still be recorded and reflected in the CBSE certificate, but no student will be prevented from appearing in the Class X Board examinations because of R3.
According to the circular, schools can choose any language from the CBSE-approved list of subjects, provided that at least two of the selected languages are Indian languages. Foreign languages may only be taken as the third language if the first two are Indian languages, or they may be opted for as an additional fourth language.
As part of the transition process, CBSE said students entering Class IX in 2026 would initially study from Class VI-level textbooks for the third language until specialized secondary-level textbooks are developed and introduced. Schools have also been encouraged to enrich classroom teaching with local and regional literary material to promote cultural and linguistic diversity.
The implementation of the three-language formula has raised concerns among some schools regarding teacher availability and infrastructure. Addressing these challenges, the CBSE advised schools facing shortages of qualified language teachers to adopt temporary measures such as sharing teaching resources with nearby schools, using virtual learning support, or hiring retired teachers and qualified postgraduate educators.
The Board also announced that relaxations would be provided for Children With Special Needs (CwSN), schools located outside India, and foreign students returning to the country. These exemptions and accommodations, the CBSE said, would be considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure smooth implementation of the new policy.
