Three-language scheme: Centre in SC has an ‘issue’ over treating English as ‘native’, but assures quick action on Class 6 reprieve

The Union government said it “has an issue” with treating English as an indigenous language, but promised the Supreme Court on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) to move quickly with consultations to grant current Class 6 students a one-time reprieve from a mandatory third-language Board exam.

Appearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was standing in for Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who is representing the Union government and the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) Board in the case, said a meeting would be arranged “today or tomorrow” with the officials concerned in the presence of Ms. Bhati for a decision on the issue of reprieve for Class 6 students.

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When senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for petitioners, sought an order from the Court on the issue of English being shifted to the “non-native” or foreign language category, Mr. Mehta responded that “we have an issue about that, we would like to make submissions on that”. He however sought a short adjournment as Ms. Bhati was unable to address the Court on September 9 due to a personal difficulty.

The Court adjourned the hearing to September 17.

Senior advocate Anand Grover, also for the petitioner side, said the parents were getting anxious. He urged the Court against allowing any further adjournments in the case.   

In an earlier hearing, the Court had asked the CBSE to consider giving Class 6 students relief from writing the third language exam in Class 10 exam.

Under CBSE guidelines, students in Classes 7 to 9 were exempted while the present Class 6 batch was slated to face full implementation, including a mandatory Class 10 Board exam in the third language by 2031.

The Court said the three language scheme would eventually have to be implemented, but the CBSE would have to streamline its implementation better.

“You have to give some time for not only students but also for infrastructure to come on par, across the various education boards. It is a good policy to start with the mother tongue, then an indigenous language, and then another indigenous or foreign language. But all this should be started when the children are a little younger, in a lower class, giving them time to adapt,” Justice Bagchi said.

The Court had asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the CBSE, to get instructions on three issues — whether a one-time reprieve could be given to the current batch of Class 6 students; how to build human resources to meet the demands of the three-language scheme; and whether the scheme should ideally be started in earlier classes.

Meanwhile, the Court issued notice to the government on petitions filed by minority schools regarding the implementation of the three-language scheme. Eom