CBSE Makes Third Language Mandatory for Class IX From 2026–27

The board set school-based assessment, phased start dates and targeted exemptions so schools can rely on shared teachers or digital classes to roll the policy out.

Overview

CBSE announced on Friday, May 22, 2026, that students entering Class IX in the 2026–27 session must study three languages labelled R1, R2 and R3 with the scheme extending to Class X in 2027–28.
The framework requires at least two native Indian languages per learner, bars the same language being taken at more than one level, and allows R1 and R2 to use the same textbooks with different learning outcomes.
Assessment for R3 will be entirely school-based with no separate CBSE board exam for the third language in Class X but successful completion will be mandatory for CBSE certification.
CBSE offered implementation guidance to tackle teacher shortages and curriculum load, recommending two to three weekly periods for R3 focused on oral and reading fluency and tools such as Sahodaya hub sharing, retired or guest teachers and digital classes.
The board outlined exemptions for children with disabilities, foreign or transient students and CBSE foreign campuses, and simultaneously added Kaushal Bodh, Computational Thinking and AI for Grades 7–8 to be integrated into existing timetables as part of NEP 2020/NCFSE 2023 goals.