CBSE's three-language policy for Class 9: What changes for students

CBSE rolls out three-language formula for Class 9 from July 1, bringing curriculum changes for schools and students alike

Two months into the 2026-27 academic session, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has formally notified the implementation of the three-language formula for Class 9 students from July 1, 2026.

 

The move is part of the board’s effort to align school education with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. The policy will apply to both government and private schools affiliated with the board.

 

What is the three-language formula?

 

Under the new framework, students will study three languages, at least two of which must be Indian native languages.

 

The language structure has been divided into three categories:

 

Primary language (R1): Main language, which may include Hindi, English, Urdu, Kannada, or other languages

Second language (R2): Students can choose from among the 43 languages currently offered by the CBSE

Third language (R3): Includes a foreign language, depending on the availability

 

The government clarified that schools and families will continue to have flexibility in choosing languages from the CBSE-approved list. For English-medium schools, the medium of instruction will remain English. Core subjects such as Mathematics, Science and Social Science will still be taught and assessed in English.

 

What changes has CBSE introduced for Class 9?

 

In the circular released by the CBSE on May 15, schools have been asked to make several curriculum and administrative changes to effectively implement the policy.

 

According to the circular, till dedicated third-language (R3) textbooks are made available, Class 9 students will use the Class 6 R3 textbooks (2026-27 edition) for the chosen language. These textbooks will be supplemented with appropriate local or state literary material selected by schools, including short stories, poems and non-fiction works. CBSE said detailed guidelines regarding the selection and pedagogical use of supplementary literary material will be issued by June 15, 2026.

 

The board has also stated that Class 6 third-language (R3) textbooks in 19 scheduled languages will be made available to schools before July 1. For the remaining Indian languages, schools may continue using State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and state-level resources.

 

One significant clarification made by the board is that no Board examination will be conducted for the third language (R3) at the Class 10 level. Instead, all assessments for R3 will be entirely school-based and internal.

 

To address the availability of qualified teachers for multiple Indian languages, the CBSE has advised schools to adopt flexible and collaborative arrangements. Schools have been encouraged to engage existing teachers who possess functional proficiency in the concerned language, share resources through Sahodaya school clusters, use virtual or hybrid teaching support, hire retired language teachers and engage suitably qualified postgraduate candidates.

 

Earlier this month, CBSE had also directed affiliated schools to complete the implementation of the third language (R3) in Class 6 by May 31, 2026.

 

Why did CBSE take this mid-session decision?

 

The CBSE has justified the mid-session change as part of its effort to align school education with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023 and the newly released NCERT Class 9 syllabus for the 2026-27 academic session.

 

According to the board, the revised NCERT syllabus now includes the study of three languages: R1, R2 and R3 at the secondary stage. Since the academic session had already commenced in April, CBSE said it was adopting a “transitional approach” to align its Scheme of Studies for Classes 9 and 10 with the updated NCERT curriculum.

 

The broader objective is to promote multilingual learning from the school level, strengthen national integration and give Indian languages a stronger presence in secondary education.

 

What is the debate around foreign languages and English?

 

The policy has also triggered debate around the place of English and foreign languages in the school curriculum.

 

According to NEP 2020, students at the secondary level may learn foreign languages such as Korean, Japanese, French, German and Spanish or any other language available. However, a key shift in the new framework is the classification of English as a foreign language. Since the board allows only one foreign language within the three-language structure, students may not be able to choose both English and another foreign language as part of the same framework.

 

At the same time, because the policy mandates that at least two languages must be Indian languages, most schools and students are expected to retain English as the only foreign language within the structure. This has brought English-medium schools into focus. While classroom instruction in such schools will continue in English, questions remain over language combinations and student flexibility. For instance, if students are allowed flexibility in selecting languages, can they opt out of studying English as a language subject and instead choose two Indian languages?