Overview
- Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan clarified on Friday that the three-language requirement under NEP 2020 will begin with students entering Class 6 and will not be applied retrospectively to older cohorts.
- Pradhan said students now in Classes 7, 8 and 9 who study two foreign languages may continue the same language combination through their Class 10 board exams, easing parents’ and schools’ immediate concerns.
- CBSE has not yet issued a formal amended order and is expected to place the matter before its governing council to finalize the grandfathering and implementation details.
- The ministry and CBSE have pledged operational steps such as publishing textbooks in 22 Indian languages and arranging teachers and other resources to roll out the policy.
- Officials also said vocational education will be strengthened with 110 hours of skill modules per year for Classes 6–8 and a mandatory skill subject in Classes 9–10, and a proposal to let a foreign language replace the vocational subject up to Class 10 remains under discussion.