Supreme Court: CBSE Class 6 students get the same third-language relief as Classes 7 to 9

The Supreme Court on 28 September 2026 directed the Central Board of Secondary Education to give Class 6 students the same relaxation from its three-language rule that current students of Classes 7, 8 and 9 already have. The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana did so over the Union government's objection.

What the relief means

• Students continue to study the third language in school.
• They will not face a compulsory Class 10 board exam in it.
• Their promotion and final certification will not be held up because of the third language.

How the case got here

A CBSE notification of 15 May 2026 required students in Classes 6 to 9 to study three languages, at least two of them Indian languages, in line with the National Education Policy and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education, 2023. Parents and teachers challenged it, arguing that bringing in the rule mid-stream was disruptive when schools lacked trained language teachers and textbooks.

CBSE had already said in June that the batches then in Classes 7, 8 and 9 would not have to sit a third-language board exam in Class 10. At the hearing on 28 September, the Solicitor General told the court that 98 to 99% of schools had the facilities to teach the third language and only 1.2% did not yet. The court has now directed that Class 6 be treated like the older classes.

What parents should do

Nothing changes in the timetable — the third language stays on it. What changes is the stakes: for this year's Class 6, it will not decide their board results. Watch for CBSE's formal circular implementing the order, which schools will follow for assessment and report cards.

CareerBox News Desk — reporting on the Supreme Court’s direction to CBSE of 28 September 2026 on the three-language requirement. Official portal: sci.gov.in. Dates and eligibility change; confirm them on the official portal before you act.