Supreme Court Intervenes in CBSE's Three-Language Policy Implementation

Gist The Supreme Court has intervened in the Central Board of Secondary Education CBSE 's rollout of the three-language policy, directing that current students up to Class 9 be evaluated on their third language through internal assessments rather than a formal Board examination. This judicial pushback forces a re-evaluation of the policy's rigid timelines and structural flaws, particularly the categorization of English as a foreign language. For aspirants, this highlights the ongoing friction between the National Education Policy 2020 's linguistic mandates and the practical realities of India's education system and global employment market. Background The National Education Policy NEP 2020 introduced a renewed three-language formula, mandating that students study two "Indian" languages alongside a third language. The Central Board of Secondary Education CBSE is the national education board responsible for structuring the curriculum and conducting the Class 10 and Class 12 examinations for affiliated schools. Prior to the Court's intervention, the CBSE planned to strictly enforce this policy by 2026 , which would have forced students to suddenly adopt a new Indian language in higher classes and face a…