Published Jun 29, 2026 | 4:34 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 29, 2026 | 4:34 PM
For students entering Class VI in 2026–27 and subsequent batches, CBSE said that two of the three languages must be Bhartiya Bhashas.
Synopsis: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has mandated that students study two Indian languages under its revised three-language policy, with those who have already opted for two non-native languages required to take up an additional Bhartiya Bhasha through Class X. Students entering Class IX in 2026–27, however, have been exempted from the Class X Board examination for the third-language subject, although they will still be required to study it.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has removed the Class X Board examination for the third language for students entering Class IX in the 2026–27 academic year. However, they will still be required to study the language through Class X, with assessment conducted internally by schools, as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The Board has also directed students currently in Classes VII and VIII to continue studying three languages upon entering secondary school, with two of them being Indian languages (Bhartiya Bhashas).
Students who have already opted for and begun studying two non-native languages will now be required to take up an additional Bhartiya Bhasha and continue studying it until Class X.
The copy of the notification.
For these transitional batches, the third language will be assessed only through school-based internal assessment, with no CBSE Board examination in Class X.
For students entering Class VI in 2026–27 and subsequent batches, CBSE said that two of the three languages must be Bhartiya Bhashas. Unlike the transitional batches, these students will be required to take the Class X Board examination in the third language (R3).
The Board added that dedicated R3 textbooks for Class VI in all 22 Scheduled Bhartiya Bhashas are being made available through NCERT.
The Board has exempted certain categories of students from the three-language policy. These include Children with Special Needs (CwSN), who will receive relaxations and exemptions in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016; students enrolled in CBSE schools outside India; and foreign students returning to India. These categories are exempt from studying a native Indian language as the third language.
Students whose parents or guardians migrate to another State have also been provided some flexibility. They may continue with the third-language combination they opted for during the Middle Stage in Class IX, with schools required to provide adequate academic support.
To address staffing requirements, schools have been permitted to adopt flexible arrangements, including engaging teachers with functional proficiency, retired teachers and postgraduates, inter-school sharing through Sahodaya clusters, and virtual or hybrid teaching.
The Board said CBSE and NCERT would provide grade-appropriate learning resources to support students learning the third language. It added that the implementation guidelines are intended to align with NEP 2020 while safeguarding students’ interests.
CBSE said the changes were meant to ensure “joyful, meaningful language learning, not examination”, and added that it would continue supporting schools through additional learning resources and capacity building. It also urged schools to communicate the changes positively to teachers, students and parents, highlighting the long-term benefits of multilingual proficiency and cultural rootedness.
