Supreme Court Urges Centre To Reconsider Mid-Term Three-Language Mandate For Class 6; Suggests Deferring Implementation To 2027

The Supreme Court, while hearing a challenge to CBSE circulars advancing the three-language mandate for Class 6 students to the 2026-27 session, has asked the Union to reconsider making the policy optional for the current academic year.

The bench observed that enforcing the requirement mid-term creates unnecessary logistical strain on young children and their families. In response, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati agreed to convey the court's observations to the government for reconsideration, as the court directed the appointed committee to assess infrastructural concerns before the next hearing.

The Court was hearing the plea filed by Class 9 and 10 students starting from the 2026-27 academic year, which assailed the CBSE Circular No. Acad-33/2026, abruptly advancing the enforcement of the policy to July 1, 2026, making it compulsory for students to study three languages, with at least two being native Indian languages.

On May 27, the Court issued notice to the Centre, CBSE, and NCERT in the matter.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana directed the committee to examine potential infrastructural and operational issues during this interim period and scheduled the matter for further hearing on Wednesday of the following week.

ASG Aishwarya Bhati appeared for the Union of India.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati submitted a note along with the constitution and terms of reference of the appointed committee.

She informed the bench that while relaxations were granted to Classes 7 through 10, the policy was intended to apply to Class 6 from the current academic session since the cohort begins at that level and students would face board examinations only after four years.

Justice Bagchi said, "Just because you have taken a decision of 6th being included, it has to be included. It’s your cohort, and since the cohort starts from 6th, it must start from 6th...Give them some breathing space."

ASG Bhati said, "There is one more reason why we feel, My Lords, because 6th will face a board class only after four years"

Justice Bagchi replied, "So what 7th will face a board class only after three years." He further added, "But so far as the logistics of a child and a family when the notification comes, you are already in 6th. So, it’s just bringing that surprise on that. Madam please go and please reconsider. What are the other issues of law, legality, etc., we’ll consider in due course."

Justice Mohana remarked, "We were reading an article about Goa, how the language... the children have adapted very beautifully because they are now introduced for many years like in street plays and other things, and the children are very happily participating and learning their own mother tongue, which is very important for every child."

ASG Bhati agreed to take the court's observations back to the government for reconsideration and requested time to obtain instructions. The bench clarified that delaying the implementation to January 1, 2027, was a matter of practical convenience for students and would not prejudice the government's legal contentions on the validity of the policy.

The Court had also issued notice to the Centre, CBSE, and NCERT in a batch of writ petitions challenging the 'Secondary School Curriculum 2026-27' and its subsequent circulars, which mandate the study of two languages "native to India" from Class VI onwards.

A group of parents and natural guardians of fourteen minor children pursuing their education in Classes V and VI across various CBSE-affiliated schools in West Bengal moved the Supreme Court of India by filing a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. Each of the Petitioners' children has continuously pursued the combination of English as the first language (R1) and French as the second language (R2) since Class I, with Hindi introduced as the third language (R3) from Class V onward as a requirement of the Indian language.

The Court had also issued notice in a writ petition that was filed challenging the 'Secondary School Curriculum Part-1 (Classes IX–X), 2026-27, CBSE', alongside CBSE Circulars dated April 9, 2026, and May 4, 2026. The petitioners, parents of Class VI students enrolled in private CBSE-affiliated schools across the Delhi-NCR region, approached the apex court seeking to quash the directives to the extent that they mandated the study of two languages "native to India" from Class VI onwards starting from the academic year 2026-27.

Cause Title: Yashica Bhandari v. Union of India and Ors. [W.P.(C) No. 694/2026]