The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced a major change to its secondary school assessment framework by making the third language a compulsory qualifying subject for students in Classes 9 and 10 under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Beginning with the 2027-28 academic session, students appearing for Class 10 will not write a Board examination in the third language.

However, they must complete the school's internal assessment to be awarded the Secondary School Examination pass certificate.

The revised framework will first apply to students entering Class 9 in the 2026-27 academic year and subsequently to those reaching Class 10 in 2027-28.

Under the new rules, schools will evaluate the third language internally. Students who do not qualify in the assessment during Class 10 will be given another opportunity through a reassessment before the Board results are finalised.

Clearing this assessment has become a mandatory condition for obtaining the Class 10 pass certificate.

For students in Class 9, the Board has adopted a more flexible approach. Those who fail the third language assessment will still move to Class 10 but must clear the pending assessment during the following academic year.

This ensures promotion is not withheld while maintaining the language requirement before secondary education is completed.

The latest directive follows CBSE's earlier decision to implement the three-language formula from Class 6 starting in the 2026-27 academic session. Under this framework, every student must study three languages, with at least two being Indian languages. Students who have already opted for a foreign language in addition to English will be allowed to continue it, but they will also be required to study another language native to India.

Previously, many students discontinued the third language after Class 8. The revised policy extends compulsory language learning into Classes 9 and 10, aligning CBSE's curriculum with the objectives of NEP 2020.

Meanwhile, the policy has also come under judicial scrutiny. A writ petition challenging CBSE's language-related circulars is pending before the courts.

The petition seeks restoration of an earlier CBSE position that would have deferred compulsory implementation at the Class 9 level until the 2029-30 academic session.

Defending the move, the Centre has argued that education falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution, allowing both the Union and state governments to implement NEP provisions.

It has also maintained that the three-language policy promotes multilingualism, strengthens Indian languages, enhances cognitive development, and supports national integration.

With the latest circular, CBSE has formally tied the third language requirement to the Class 10 pass certificate, signalling a significant shift in the secondary education framework while leaving the subject outside the Board examination.