New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the decision to introduce a third language only in Class 9 under the CBSE curriculum, with Justice B V Nagarathna warning that the timing could add avoidable pressure on students approaching board exams.
During the hearing of Tamil Nadu’s appeal against a Madras High Court order directing the state to permit Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in every district, the court asked why the third language provision kicks in at Class 9. Tamil Nadu has resisted JNVs because those schools follow the three-language policy.
Describing the step as “very bad”, Justice Nagarathna said students already face intense academic stress while getting ready for Class 10 board examinations.
“Ninth standard is stressful. Why do you introduce a new language in 9th? You introduce it in 6th,” she said, urging the Union government to reconsider and introduce the third language earlier, during middle school.
Centre Urged To Shift Timing
“Union of India, please don’t have a third language in 9th standard. CBSE, ICSE, State Board—10th standard is a board exam. From the end of 8th standard onwards, the pressure starts,” Justice Nagarathna told the court, pressing the Centre to move the rollout to earlier grades.
The Supreme Court is separately hearing multiple petitions that challenge the three-language framework in CBSE schools.
Judge Recalls Her Schooling
Speaking from personal experience, Justice Nagarathna said her school introduced a third language in middle school, which eased students’ preparation for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exams. She said learners could select Kannada, Hindi or Sanskrit as the third language based on their second language.
“The earlier, the better,” she said, recalling that in the 1970s “students were introduced to Class 10 concepts as early as Class 8 to prepare them for board examinations. So if we had that kind of preparation and all, what about today’s students? Don’t start a new language in 9th. Start it in 6th… I’m recalling my experience from 1976.”
NEP, Hindi And choice
The bench pointed out that the National Education Policy does not require Hindi to be the third language. “The State language has to be taught, English has to be taught and any third language. It doesn’t say Hindi,” Justice Nagarathna said.
An NGO’s counsel told the court the NEP specifically prohibits imposing any language on a state.
Addressing Tamil Nadu’s stance, Justice Nagarathna asked, “You don’t want Hindi, but if it’s Sanskrit, what is the issue?” The state’s lawyer maintained that the third language only becomes compulsory from Class 9.
Centre–State Stance
The bench cautioned Tamil Nadu against opposing a central education measure solely because it was framed by the Union government. “You may have your education system, but don’t prevent the central government schools…. Don’t have this attitude that it is the Union government, so why should we accept it,” the court said.
It noted ongoing discussions between the Centre and the state over establishing JNVs and said the situation could change depending on the outcome and the state’s recent change in leadership.
“If that fails, then only a question of us addressing any merits arises. There has been a change of guard… let’s see what happens in the talks,” the bench observed.
The case was adjourned to August 11.
