New Delhi, May 16: Central Board of Secondary Education has announced that students from Class IX will be required to study three languages from 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 stated that at least two of the three languages must be native Indian languages.
The CBSE clarified that there will be no Board examination for the third language (R3) in Class X. Instead, assessments for the subject will be conducted internally by schools and reflected in students’ certificates.
The Board said the decision was taken to encourage language learning without adding extra pressure on students. It also assured that no student would be stopped from appearing in Class X Board examinations because of the third language requirement.
According to the circular, schools may offer any language listed in the CBSE curriculum, provided two of the selected languages are Indian languages. Foreign languages may only be opted for as the third language if the first two are Indian languages, or as an optional fourth language.
As part of the transition process, students of Class IX will temporarily study from Class VI-level R3 textbooks until dedicated secondary-stage textbooks are introduced. Schools have also been advised to include local and regional literary content in teaching materials.
To tackle shortages of language teachers, the CBSE has suggested temporary measures such as inter-school teacher sharing, virtual classes, and engagement of retired teachers or qualified postgraduates.
The Board further announced special relaxations for Children with Special Needs (CwSN), schools located abroad, and foreign students returning to India, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
