The Central Board of Secondary Education has announced a big change for students in classes 9 and 10. From July 1, students at CBSE schools must study three languages, at least two of which must be Indian languages. This change supports the language goals in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.
This decision has already started conversations among parents, students, and school leaders across India. The board says the rule will promote multilingual education and support Indian languages, but some schools are concerned about how fast they must adjust.
CBSE says the three-language rule will help students get used to learning in different languages early on. The board believes this can boost communication skills, cultural understanding, and learning in general. Officials also say that learning more than one Indian language helps students connect with India’s many languages and traditions.
Under the new system, students will study three languages: R1, R2, and R3. In most schools, English will likely stay as the main language, or R1. The second and third languages will usually be Indian languages like Hindi, Sanskrit, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Urdu, Assamese, Odia, or other regional languages, depending on the school and state.
CBSE says that foreign languages like French, German, Spanish, Japanese, or Russian can still be offered, but only if students are already taking two Indian languages. In these cases, the foreign language can be the third language or an extra optional subject.
Many students and parents are relieved that the third language will not be included in the class 10 board exam. Instead, schools will grade students through projects, assignments, and school-level tests. CBSE also says students can still take the board exams even if they do not do well in the third language, but the marks will still show up on the final certificate.
The board says this decision is about more than academics. It aims to build a more inclusive and multilingual education system. Supporters think the policy could help students value regional languages and cultures, especially since English is so common in city schools.
However, schools have also raised practical concerns. Several principals and educators say the policy has been introduced suddenly, leaving schools with limited preparation time. One of the biggest concerns is the shortage of qualified language teachers, especially for regional languages that may not currently be taught in many schools. Schools are also worried about timetable adjustments and increased academic pressure on students.
To help with these problems, CBSE has suggested some temporary solutions. Schools can share teachers with nearby schools, offer online or mixed language classes, hire retired teachers, or use teachers from other departments who know certain languages. The board also plans to provide support materials, sample papers, and detailed guidelines in the near future.
This change aligns with the broader goals of NEP 2020, which support learning in many languages and promote Indian languages in schools. Experts say that students who learn multiple languages often have better thinking skills, stronger memory, and improved communication skills.
However, how well the new policy works will depend on how smoothly schools implement it in the coming months. For now, students, parents, and teachers across India are preparing for what could be one of the biggest changes to school language rules in recent years.
