New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, under fire over the NEET-UG paper leak and CBSE exams fiasco, defended the three-language system for Class IX students which has sparked a countrywide debate.
Asked about concerns about the implementation of the three-language policy, Pradhan said that the Central government will fully comply with Supreme Court directives.
“We will do whatever the Supreme Court says,” Pradhan told NDTV.
The Union minister gave a personal example to justify the new policy.
“My daughter studied Marathi till Class 8,” Pradhan said, arguing that learning in mother’s tongue is not unusual.
Pradhan made the point that it’s not an entirely new system that the CBSE has introduced as students in nearly “99% of CBSE schools” are already studying in their native language from class VI to VIII.
In a recent circular, the CBSE announced that from the 2026-27 academic session, class IX students will have to study three languages, with at least two being native Indian languages. It is part of the implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Teachers and parents are worried not only about its implementation but also added academic pressure it will bring on students.
The CBSE’s decision has been challenged in the Supreme Court.
The top court observed that while promoting Indian languages may be a positive step, logistical and practical concerns must be taken into account.
The court has sought response from the Centre, CBSE and NCERT.
