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CBSE Mandates Third Language from Class 6 Immediately
11 Apr
Summary
- Third language teaching to commence in Class 6 immediately.
- This reform aligns with the new scheme of studies and NEP 2020.
- R3 language assessment will be school-based internal, not board exam.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has mandated that schools begin teaching a third language (R3) in Class 6 immediately, utilizing locally sourced materials. This decision aligns with CBSE's updated scheme of studies, which makes the third language compulsory from the 2026-27 academic session. Students entering Class 6 in the current session will be the first cohort to experience this change through to Class 10.
Assessment for the third language will be conducted internally by schools starting in 2031, rather than through a board examination. Schools are required to inform their respective regional offices about their chosen R3 languages and update this information on the OASIS portal. Only languages introduced in Class 6 will be available as options for Classes 9 and 10 within that school. This initiative is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, which advocate for three languages to be studied up to Class 10, with at least two being native Indian languages.
