Schools in the national capital are grappling with an unusual kind of heat this April. Delhi schools—whether privately run or administered by the city government, the Centre, or the Municipal Corporation of Delhi—have been directed to implement the three-language formula within days, in strict accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP). This abrupt policy push has placed schools in a difficult position.
Schools are now required to rapidly build and manage the infrastructure needed to teach three languages from Class VI onwards. This will necessitate overhauling the existing language-teaching frameworks, which currently vary across different types of schools.
However, the future of foreign language instruction in city schools faces the greatest uncertainty. This stems from the government’s dual approach of prioritising Indian languages while assigning English the status of a foreign language. Schools and teachers are now questioning what this shift means for other languages that have traditionally been classified as foreign—such as French, German, Russian and Spanish—and have remained popular among students at both school and university levels. The growing anxiety is most evident among foreign language teachers, many of whom fear an existential crisis in the years ahead.
Principals across Delhi schools describe a growing sense of unease as they scramble to respond to the sudden policy shift. Subjects that risk being pushed into “hobby classes” could lose both academic relevance and institutional support. Students who had planned to pursue foreign languages seriously may now face limited options, while parents worry about shrinking opportunities in an increasingly globalised world.
At institutions such as Modern School, Barakhamba, the shift is already visible. Foreign language courses have been discontinued for the new academic session, offering a glimpse of what may soon become the norm. For students who once saw these subjects as gateways to global exposure, the transition feels abrupt. For teachers, it is existential.
As several of Delhi’s government schools—many already grappling with a shortage of Sanskrit teachers—prepare to implement the rule, a larger question emerges: in attempting to standardise language learning, is the system narrowing horizons instead?
Teachers speak out
A foreign language teacher at a Delhi private school said there is a clear concern around academic load, especially for students now expected to manage three languages alongside other subjects. For many in non-Hindi-speaking regions, learning Hindi or Sanskrit from scratch can be challenging.
However, the difficulty is not unique to Indian languages—students opting for foreign languages such as French or German also invest similar effort. The key difference, the teacher noted, is exposure: Hindi is more commonly encountered in everyday life, media and public spaces across India, making it somewhat easier to pick up compared to a foreign language.
On the question of inequality, the same teacher said there is a real possibility that differences could widen. Elite institutions following IB or IGCSE curricula may continue to offer foreign languages through alternative or informal channels, giving their students an added global advantage, while schools strictly adhering to the mandate may have less flexibility. This, the teacher said, could create a divide in exposure and opportunities unless there is clear guidance ensuring parity across systems.
The teacher added that the transition is understandably concerning for foreign language educators, as a decline in student uptake could directly impact their roles. While some schools may attempt to retain and redeploy such teachers based on broader skill sets—moving them into administrative roles, language labs or other academic functions—this may not be feasible everywhere. Job losses in this segment, the teacher indicated, appear likely unless schools actively plan transition pathways.
Natasha Dhawan, a Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) educator, said, “As an MFL educator teaching Spanish and French in the Indian school ecosystem, I see both the intent and the practical challenges of implementing the three-language formula under the National Education Policy 2020. Student load is a real concern: asking students—especially in non-Hindi-speaking regions—to manage English plus two Indian languages within already demanding schedules risks breadth over depth and increased stress. Multilingualism is valuable, but only if taught through communicative, meaningful approaches rather than rote, exam-driven methods.”
On the impact on teachers, Dhawan said that in some forward-looking schools, roles are being redesigned through interdisciplinary teaching, skill-based modules and early exposure, while in others, teachers are being given limited timeframes to transition or seek new roles in anticipation of reduced demand. She emphasised that choice must remain central, noting that empowering Indian languages should not translate into enforced decisions and that without flexibility and institutional vision, there is a risk of overburdening students, widening inequities and underutilising skilled educators.
Echoing similar concerns, a teacher from Kendriya Vidyalaya, requesting anonymity, said, “Teachers teaching German in KVs may have permanent jobs, but they are still worried because schools may now ask them to take up other subjects or additional responsibilities.”
Impact varies across boards
With the renewed push by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the three-language formula, foreign languages are slipping out of classrooms and, for many, out of reach.
However, a Spanish teacher at an Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) school in Delhi said there has been no impact on ICSE schools so far, and they continue to offer foreign languages.
What do educationists say
Educationist Meeta Sen Gupta said foreign language teachers often resist reassignment and may operate independently. She noted that their market—within schools or outside—will shrink, though some foreign languages will stay in demand for business reasons, as economic incentives drive parental choices.
She added that inequality between schools is not yet evident, as there is limited scope within timetables for additional or informal teaching. Instead, she said, the demand may shift to after-school student clubs paid for separately, where teachers find employment, schools benefit from infrastructure use, and students pursue extracurricular learning. Such models, she pointed out, could also be hybrid or online, operating independently of schools and reflecting actual demand for languages without visibly creating inequality at the school level.
Ameeta Mulla Wattal, educationist and former chairperson of the National Progressive Schools’ Conference, said, “A sharp decline in student uptake for foreign languages like German, Spanish, or French could certainly create uncertainty for teachers in these domains. However, job losses need not be inevitable—much depends on how thoughtfully schools and systems respond.
Schools, especially those operating under tight budgets, may find it difficult to sustain full-time foreign language positions if enrolment drops significantly. In such cases, there is a real risk of reduced teaching loads, contractual roles or consolidation of departments.
“At a system level, however, not all schools are equally equipped to absorb this transition. Government and budget schools may lack both the flexibility and resources to redeploy staff creatively, making certain roles vulnerable. If the policy inadvertently sidelines foreign languages, it risks narrowing a child’s global outlook at a time when international engagement is critical. Languages are not merely subjects—they are bridges to culture and opportunity,” she added.
Private vs govt schools
While private schools are beginning to phase out foreign language offerings in response to the mandate, government schools face a different set of constraints. Many are still struggling to meet existing language requirements and lack the resources to expand offerings.
Former Delhi government education adviser Shailendra Sharma called the three-language formula “impractical.” He said, “With technology, it may be possible. But with human teachers, where will you find good resources in such large numbers? Strengthening even two languages is a challenge in most government and many private schools. Introducing a foreign language and ensuring proficiency is a huge expectation.”
Speaking about government schools where only selected institutions had introduced foreign languages such as Spanish and German in 2023, a school principal said, “Since most schools, including ours, do not offer any foreign language, it doesn’t affect us.
We have only Hindi, Sanskrit and English. In Classes IX and X, when students choose languages, some opt for English, but a majority fail. They then cannot continue with English in Class XI and end up taking Hindi. As for Sanskrit, we do not have enough PGT teachers.”
What happens after school?
Professors from foreign language departments in Central universities say the ripple effects could extend beyond schools to higher education and employment.
Vijaya Venkataraman, Head of the Department of Germanic and Romance Studies at the Arts Faculty, University of Delhi (DU), said, “The NEP structure differs for publicly funded and private universities. If this continues, universities like Jamia, DU or Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) may not be able to sustain these courses.
If languages are not taught at the school level, job opportunities will shrink, and students will have little incentive to study them. They may instead turn to private universities. So far, Spanish, German and French have been popular, with steady demand for teachers, but the new policy could make this difficult.”
She added that apart from careers in travel agencies and translation, school teaching has been a key avenue for students of these languages and that the three-language formula could ultimately lead to job losses. She also pointed to growing anxiety among teachers, with many expressing concern over their future, and described the situation as one that risks limiting horizons and reducing choice.
English as a foreign language
Similarly, Parnal Chirmuley, an associate professor at the Centre of German Studies, School of Language, JNU, said, “The biggest question is why schools are being made to consider English as a foreign language. This could be problematic because students would not drop English to opt for another foreign language.
In effect, the three-language formula may end up mandating Hindi and Sanskrit in the north if English is treated as the first language. Also, the Hindi taught in schools often carries a political agenda. Technically, with this system, none of the languages may be learnt deeply enough to build strong reading and analytical skills. Four years is too short a period to master a new language.”
What do parents say?
A concerned parent, Nida Khan, said the three-language policy under the NEP may indirectly push parents to prioritise English as the main foreign language, given its importance for jobs, higher education and everyday use. This, she said, could lead to the neglect of languages such as Spanish and German if schools discontinue them due to low demand. She also flagged concerns about increased academic pressure and reduced flexibility for students and parents, adding that, in the long run, the policy may limit global exposure beyond English.
Another parent, Amita Singh, said, “As a mother of two teenagers, I worry this could overburden students who are already stretched. In non-Hindi regions especially, adding another Indian language may feel forced rather than meaningful. At the same time, English remains the primary global language for higher education and careers, so diluting focus on it could put students at a disadvantage. I’m also concerned that this may widen gaps—elite schools may still find ways to offer foreign languages, while others may not. And if demand for languages like French or German drops, many teachers could be left without clear options.”