Supreme Court Urges Reconsideration of Language Policy for Class 6
The Supreme Court of India has reiterated its request for the Central government to re-evaluate the implementation of the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) three-language policy for the current class 6 students. In a session held on Thursday, the Court emphasized that the proposal is intended to alleviate stress on students and their families, rather than questioning the policy’s validity.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was tasked with examining petitions against the CBSE’s language policy. Introduced in the 2026-2027 academic year, this policy mandates that students from class 6 to class 9 study three languages, with at least two being Indian languages.
During the hearing, the Court suggested that the existing considerations for extending relaxations to students in classes 7 to 10 could also be applied to current class 6 students. This suggestion had been made in previous hearings as well.
Judicial Insights and Recommendations
Justice Bagchi articulated the Court’s stance, stating, “Regarding the logistics for a child and family, when the notification is issued, it impacts the entire batch of students. We suggest starting from January 2027, making it optional now, and mandatory for those entering class 6 from 2027.” Justice Bagchi made it clear that the Court’s suggestion was rooted in convenience rather than legal principle.
The Court noted that the policy, although conceptualized in 2020, was only implemented in early 2026. Therefore, enforcing it mandatorily from 2027 would provide adequate time for adjustment for families and educational institutions.
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Response from Government Representatives
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati consented to convey the Court’s suggestion to the Centre for further consideration. ASG Bhati highlighted that some forms of relaxation are already being extended to other classes and assured the Court of revisiting the possibility of similar accommodations for current class 6 students.
She expressed, “Permit me to take it back for reconsideration… We can adjust the type of relaxation. For instance, class 10 has one form of relaxation, while classes 9, 8, and 7 have different ones. Let us return with a proposal.”
The next hearing is scheduled for September 23, where further discussions on the policy’s implications and potential adjustments will continue.
