The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made the study of a third language compulsory for students of Class IX beginning from the academic session 2026–27. In a circular issued on May 15 to school heads, the Board stated that with effect from July 1, 2026, students in Class IX will be required to study three languages (R1, R2 and R3), with at least two of them being native Indian languages.
In its circular date May 15 addressed to school heads, the Board said: “With effect from 1st July 2026, for Class IX, the study of three languages (R1, R2, R3) shall be compulsory, with at least two languages being native Indian languages. Students who wish to study a foreign language may do so as the third language only if the other two languages are native Indian languages, or as an additional fourth language. The detailed scheme is available on www.cbseacademic.nic.in.”
CBSE said the decision has been taken in accordance with the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023. The Board noted that it had reviewed the newly released National Council of Educational Research and Training syllabus for Class IX (2026–27), which formally incorporates the study of three languages at the secondary level.
No Board Exam for Third Language
The Board clarified that there will be no Class X board examination for the third language (R3). Instead:
- Assessment for R3 will remain entirely school-based and internal
- Student performance will be reflected in the CBSE certificate
- No student will be barred from appearing in Class X board examinations because of R3 requirements
Exemptions for Special Categories
CBSE has also provided flexibility for specific categories of students. Children with Special Needs (CwSN), CBSE-affiliated schools located outside India, and foreign students returning to India may be granted exemptions on a case-by-case basis from the requirement of studying two native Indian languages.
Transitional Arrangement Due to Lack of Textbooks
Since the academic session began in April 2026 and dedicated Class IX textbooks are not yet available, CBSE has adopted a transitional arrangement.
Schools have been instructed to temporarily use Class VI R3 textbooks (2026–27 edition) until specialised Class IX learning materials are developed by State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs) and other agencies.
The Board justified the move by citing a comparative analysis that found nearly 75–80% overlap in core language competencies, including:
- Oral communication
- Reading comprehension
- Written expression
- Grammatical awareness
These textbooks are expected to be available by July 1, 2026.
To bridge the remaining gap in secondary-level learning requirements, schools have also been asked to supplement textbooks with local or state literary material such as:
- Short stories
- Poems
- Non-fiction works
CBSE said detailed guidelines on selecting and teaching such supplementary material will be issued by June 15, 2026.
Addressing Teacher Shortages
Acknowledging potential shortages of language teachers during the transition phase, CBSE has advised schools to adopt flexible solutions such as:
- Inter-school resource sharing through Sahodaya clusters
- Virtual or hybrid teaching support
- Engagement of retired language teachers
- Hiring suitably qualified postgraduates
The move marks one of the most significant language-policy changes at the secondary school level in recent years and reflects the Centre’s broader push to operationalise multilingual education under the National Education Policy 2020. However, at the same time, it will impose a lot of burden on students and consequently on their wellbeing, a consideration not taken note by policy makers. “The choice of learning a third language should have been left to the students and in after school hours. Already their plate is full…loaded timetable with various other subjects introduced this year. Besides, internal assessment stress will be there,” said Dr Bhanu Sahi, an educationist.
