UPSC Mains
GS Paper II
Federalism, Education & Language Policy
SC Flags CBSE Three-Language Policy: English, Federalism and the Class 6 Reprieve
A three-judge bench led by CJI Surya Kant suggests a one-time exemption for current Class 6 students from the mandatory third-language Board exam, and questions whether English should be classified as “non-native/foreign”
HEARING DATE
20 August 2026
PROPOSED RELIEF
One-Time Class 6 Exemption
STATE BOARD SHARE
96% of Schools Under States
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Why in News
- On 20 August 2026, the Supreme Court heard petitions challenging CBSE’s three-language policy under NEP 2020.
- A three-judge bench led by CJI Surya Kant suggested a one-time exemption for current Class 6 students from the mandatory third-language Board exam in Class 10, and questioned whether English should be classified as a “non-native/foreign” language — raising a possible constitutional issue.
The Three-Language Formula (TLF)
- First recommended by the Kothari Commission (1964-66); first adopted in the National Policy on Education, 1968; reaffirmed by NEP 1986 and NEP 2020.
- Under NEP 2020, at least two of the three languages must be Indian; the CBSE system uses three “slots” — R1, R2, R3 — with R3 becoming compulsory from Class 6, drawn from the Eighth Schedule.
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Constitutional Background
- Language provisions sit in Part XVII (Articles 343-351) of the Constitution — Article 343 (Hindi as official language, English continued under the Official Languages Act, 1963), Article 350A (mother-tongue primary education), Article 351 (duty to promote Hindi), and the Eighth Schedule (22 recognised languages, no primacy).
- Education is on the Concurrent List (moved from the State List by the 42nd Amendment, 1976) — the root of the federal tension, since both Centre and states can legislate on it.
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The Core Legal Issue: Is English “Foreign”?
- Petitioners argue English is a recognised official language of the Union and the language of the courts, so it cannot logically be called “foreign.”
- Justice Bagchi objected to the word “native” itself, calling it a term with “colonial import,” suggesting “indigenous” is correct — English has deep historical roots in Indian society.
- CBSE’s stand: English is an official language, “not treated like a foreign language, but also not a native language,” because “language is the vehicle of a culture.”
Why it matters: if English occupies the single foreign-language slot, students get limited choices — pushing languages like French, German, Japanese and Spanish out of the main curriculum.
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Key Problems Highlighted
Teacher Shortage
Serious shortage of qualified language teachers, especially for Sanskrit; Court asked CBSE for a roadmap for the ~23 language options promised on paper.
Paper vs Reality
Many English-medium private schools in North India offer only Sanskrit as the R3 option due to lack of teachers — “choice” often becomes no real choice.
Federalism & “Hindi Imposition”
Tamil Nadu (two-language policy) sees the formula as backdoor Hindi imposition; CM Stalin called it a “calculated attempt at linguistic imposition.”
Pressure on Students
Adding a third language with a Board exam creates extra stress; CBSE clarified there will be no Class 10 Board exam for R3.
Arguments in Favour of the Policy
- Cognitive benefits of early multilingual learning; national integration; protecting Indian languages via two-compulsory-Indian-language rule; aligns with Article 351 and the Eighth Schedule.
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Way Forward
Start Early, Not Suddenly
Introduce the third language from Class 3 or 4, as the court suggested, giving schools time to adapt.
Grant the One-Time Reprieve
Exempt the current Class 6 batch, as urged by the Court.
Invest in Teacher Training
Recruit and train B.Ed-qualified language teachers before making languages mandatory.
Reconsider the “Foreign” Tag
Remove the “rough edges” on English’s classification to protect access to other foreign languages.
Respect Federal Sensitivities
Implement with consultation and flexibility, treating languages as bridges, not tools of imposition.
Conclusion: With 96% of schools under State Boards and only ~4% under CBSE, cooperative federalism between Centre and states is essential — with adequate teachers, proper timelines and a consultative approach, multilingualism can become a bridge, not a burden.
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Source: Indian Express
