The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announces a new three-language requirement for students in Classes 9 and 10, effective July 1, 2026. Under the revised approach, students study English plus two additional languages, with at least two of the three languages being native Indian languages. Sources also note that schools can choose from CBSE’s list of approved languages to meet the requirement.
Several outlets describe differences in how the “third language” will be assessed in Class 10. Times of India reports that no CBSE board examination will be held for the third language in Class 10, and that assessment for this language will be school-based. The CBSE announcement is described as using a transitional approach to support implementation, including interim solutions for textbooks and teacher readiness, aligning with India’s NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023.
The timing of the announcement also follows an ongoing controversy involving the Class 12 on-screen marking system, with students and parents raising concerns over evaluation consistency and a decline in pass percentages, prompting protests in multiple places.
