Overview
- CBSE issued formal implementation guidelines on Monday that put the NEP 2020 three‑language recommendation into effect from the 2026–27 academic session and give clear rules for each student cohort.
- Students already in Class 10 for 2026–27 are exempted and will continue under the two‑language system so their board year is not disrupted.
- Class 9 students in 2026–27 must study three languages with at least two Bhartiya Bhashas and will have the third language (R3) assessed by schools through internal evaluation rather than a CBSE board exam when they reach Class 10.
- The Class 6 cohort for 2026–27 is the first group fully subject to the policy with no transitional relaxations and will be required to sit the R3 board exam when they reach Class 10, supported by NCERT R3 textbooks in 22 scheduled Indian languages.
- CBSE listed targeted exemptions for children with special needs, overseas CBSE schools, and returning foreign students and allowed flexible delivery options such as using teachers with functional proficiency, retired or postgraduate language experts, Sahodaya sharing, and virtual instruction to address staffing gaps.