The Central Board of Secondary Education disclosed that 47.3% of its 28,848 affiliated schools provide two or more Indian languages to Class 9 students, meeting the three‑language mandate without extra staff. The statement was made in a counter‑affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, where parents and teachers from Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and Chennai are challenging the policy.

Key Takeaways

  • CBSE reports that 47.3% of schools already teach two or more Indian languages
  • The three‑language policy is under judicial scrutiny at the Supreme Court
  • Board clarifies that foreign‑language instruction is not prohibited

New Delhi – The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) told the Supreme Court on Monday that 47.3% of its 28,848 affiliated schools already offer two or more native Indian languages to Class 9 students. This data underlines the board’s compliance with the three‑language policy, which requires at least two Indian languages, while the third may be a foreign language.

Legal Challenge and Background

Parents from Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and Chennai, together with a handful of foreign‑language teachers, have filed a petition contesting CBSE’s May 15 circular that makes three languages compulsory from 1 July 2026. The petition argues that the circular violates Articles 14, 19, 21 and 21A of the Constitution, claiming it abruptly overturns a notification issued just 36 days earlier which stated that the third language (R3) would not apply until the 2029‑30 academic session.

Board’s Defence and Practical Measures

In its counter‑affidavit, CBSE highlighted that a majority of schools already have the capacity to teach two Indian languages, and 99.19% of schools have at least one Indian‑language teacher on staff. The board also noted that, as an interim measure, it has permitted “functional proficiency” teachers to handle the third language, giving schools time to build full teaching capacity in various Bhartiya Bhashas.

Foreign Language Provision

The petition alleges that the new rule pushes foreign languages out of the curriculum. CBSE refuted this, stating that there is no prohibition on studying a foreign language; it can continue as one of the three languages or as an optional fourth language. This clarification aims to dispel the misconception that the policy seeks to eliminate foreign‑language instruction.

Implementation and Future Outlook

Education Ministry and NCERT have filed separate affidavits confirming that textbooks in 22 scheduled languages have already been prepared, reviewed and disseminated. A high‑powered task force, coordinated with CBSE, NIOS and academic experts, is working to expedite textbook development for the transition phase.

If the Supreme Court upholds the three‑language mandate, India’s multilingual education framework could gain momentum, strengthening students’ proficiency in native languages while preserving space for global languages. Conversely, a ruling in favour of the petitioners would compel the board to redesign curricula, teacher‑training programmes and assessment mechanisms within a tighter timeline.