The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by parents and teachers from the National Capital Region (NCR) and Chennai, challenging the validity of the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) recent policy that requires students in Class 9 to study three languages, two of which must be Indian. The petitioners argue that this policy will lead to chaos and confusion among students and educators.
During a hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi represented the petitioners and expressed concern about the abrupt implementation of the new language requirement, stating, “How do the students cope with this and appear in the language paper examinations?” He emphasized that this change would create disorder in the academic environment.
The Chief Justice of India (CJI), Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, indicated that the bench would consider the petition in the coming week. The PIL was co-filed by 17 parents and two teachers with the assistance of advocate Shradha Deshmukh. They contend that the new requirement contradicts a notification issued by CBSE on April 9, which had assured that the third language requirement would not apply to Class 9 until the academic session 2029-30.
The petition highlights that the policy shift occurred on May 15, after the academic year commenced for 2026-27 and after students had been assigned language courses and their timetables finalized. The sudden move to require three languages risks causing irreversible damage to countless students and threatens the job security of teachers proficient in foreign languages, as they would need to accommodate those who teach regional languages, the petition argues.
Additionally, the petition raises concerns over the lack of available textbooks and teaching materials, noting that CBSE has made “ad hoc” arrangements by instructing students to learn the basics of the second Indian language from Class 6 textbooks. The petitioners argue that implementing a mandatory subject without the necessary educational resources, trained teachers, or assessment frameworks equates to a violation of the right to quality education, which is constitutionally protected. They have requested that the Supreme Court prevent CBSE from compromising educational standards.
