CBSE Makes Third Language Assessment Mandatory for Classes 9 & 10 Pass Certificates
CBSE Makes Third Language Assessment Mandatory for Classes 9 & 10 Pass Certificates
Major academic change! CBSE now requires students to clear internal assessments in a third language to pass Classes 9 & 10. Learn how this new policy affects students from 2026-27.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced a significant policy change, making internal assessment in a third language (R3) mandatory for students to receive their Secondary School Examination Pass Certificate for Classes 9 and 10. This new rule is set to impact Class 9 students from the 2026-27 academic session and Class 10 students from the 2027-28 session.
Under the new guidelines, while the third language will not be part of the final board examination for Class 10 students, clearing the school-based R3 assessment is now a prerequisite for passing. The CBSE circular, dated July 10, specifies that if students fail to clear this internal assessment in their crucial board year, schools will be required to conduct reassessments before the final results are declared.
For Class 9 students, the policy allows for promotion to Class 10 even if they do not qualify in the R3 assessment. However, these students will be obligated to clear the pending Class 9 R3 assessment while they are studying in Class 10. This ensures that the third language requirement is met across both years.
This move follows an earlier CBSE circular from June 29, which outlined the implementation of the three-language formula from Class 6 onwards. According to this formula, students must learn three languages, with at least two of these being native Indian languages. Students currently in Classes 7, 8, and 9 who had previously opted for an additional foreign language can continue their studies in that language but must also incorporate a third, native Indian language into their curriculum. Previously, the third language was often dropped by Class 9, but these new guidelines make it compulsory.
The Education Ministry has also weighed in on the matter, submitting its response to a writ petition challenging CBSE's circulars on the three-language policy. Petitioners are advocating for the restoration of CBSE's April 9 position, which would have deferred the compulsory third-language implementation at Class 9 until the 2029-30 academic session.
Despite the legal challenges, CBSE has defended its policy before the Supreme Court. The board highlighted that a substantial number of its affiliated schools, specifically 47.3%, already offer two or more Indian languages in Class 9. Furthermore, CBSE stated that 99.19% of its schools have at least one Indian-language teacher, suggesting that infrastructure for implementation is largely in place. Both CBSE and NCERT have assured the court that necessary measures, including textbooks and transition support, are available for the policy's rollout.
