CBSE clarifies three-language policy for Class 10, makes school assessment mandatory

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that the third language introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 will not be a Board examination subject in the Class 10 examinations for students entering Class 9 in the 2026–27 academic session.

However, the Board has made it clear that students must successfully clear the school-based assessment in the third language to be eligible for the CBSE Secondary School Examination Pass Certificate.

The clarification, issued through implementation guidelines dated 10 July, comes amid discussions surrounding the rollout of the revised three-language framework under the NEP.

Under the revised policy, all students entering Class 9 from the 2026–27 academic session will study three languages, with at least two required to be Bhartiya Bhashas (Indian languages).

While the third language will not form part of the Class 10 Board examination for this batch, schools will conduct internal assessments, and students must pass these assessments to qualify for the Board-issued pass certificate.

CBSE has directed schools to provide students who fail the third-language assessment in Class 10 with another opportunity to clear it before the declaration of the Class 10 Board examination results. The responsibility for conducting the reassessment will rest with the respective schools.

The Board has also clarified that students who do not clear the third-language assessment while in Class 9 will still be promoted to Class 10. However, they must pass the pending Class 9 assessment during the following academic year while continuing their studies.

According to CBSE, the assessment framework for Class 9 has already been notified, while the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is developing language-learning resources to support schools during the implementation of the new policy.

The clarification supplements the implementation guidelines issued by the Board on 29 June for introducing the three-language framework under the NEP 2020.

As part of the transition, CBSE has granted a one-time relaxation to students already studying two foreign or non-native languages, such as English and French or English and German. They may continue with those languages but will be required to add one Bhartiya Bhasha as the third language.

The Board has also clarified that students who are already in Class 10 during the 2026–27 academic session will continue under the existing two-language system without any changes.

Looking ahead, CBSE said students entering Class 6 from the 2026–27 academic session onwards will eventually have the third language included as a Board examination subject when they reach Class 10, by which time the curriculum, textbooks and academic resources are expected to be fully in place.

With IANS inputs