CBSE relaxes three-language policy for Class 7, 8, 9; allows two foreign language options

The Shiksha Sadan which houses the Central Board of Secondary Education at Rouse Avenue in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan The current batches of Classes 7, 8, and 9 who have already taken two foreign languages would continue with the same with one additional native Indian language (Bhartiya Bhasha), revised guidelines issued by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said.In a circular issued in May, CBSE had stated that students in Class 9 too will have to adopt three-language policy where two of three languages they learn should be native to India. Following this, parents of students who were learning foreign languages like French, German, Japanese, Spanish and so on and were asked to switch mid session had protested at the abrupt switch. Published - June 29, 2026 02:10 pm IST