The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to reconsider the rollout of its three-language requirement for Class 6 students, suggesting that the mandatory framework be introduced for students entering Class 6 from the 2027 academic session.

The suggestion could provide a one-year reprieve to students who are currently in Class 6 and have already begun their academic year under the existing arrangement.

The CBSE told the three-judge bench that it would consider the suggestion and return with a fresh note.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing petitions challenging the CBSE's three-language framework.

Justice Bagchi indicated that the transition could be deferred to avoid placing students and families under sudden pressure during an ongoing academic year.

The court also indicated that students currently in Class 6 who voluntarily want to study three languages could be permitted to do so.

Importantly, Thursday's suggestion does not settle the legal challenge to the policy.

The court made it clear that its observations regarding the timing of implementation were without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties.

The larger questions surrounding the policy are still to be examined.

The matter is scheduled to come up again on September 23, according to reports from Thursday's proceedings.

What is the CBSE's three-language policy?

The policy requires students to study three languages under the R1, R2 and R3 framework, with at least two of them being Indian languages.

The CBSE's 2026 circular lists languages such as Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Odia and Assamese among the Indian languages covered by the framework.

Foreign languages such as French, German, Arabic and Spanish can be taken only within the permitted combination, including as a third or additional fourth language.

The framework is part of the CBSE's move to align its scheme of studies with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.

The CBSE had already issued directions for introducing the third language, R3, in Class 6 during the 2026-27 academic session.

A May 4 circular said schools were required to update their R3 language choices and make arrangements for implementation.

Why has the rollout become a legal issue?

The three-language framework has been challenged before the Supreme Court, with petitions questioning aspects of the CBSE's authority and the manner in which the policy has been introduced.

The Supreme Court had agreed to examine the challenge in May and issued notices to the Centre, CBSE and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

During subsequent hearings, the court repeatedly raised concerns about how the change would affect students who were already progressing through the school system.

Earlier this month, the court had also asked whether the present Class 6 batch could be given some accommodation instead of being immediately brought under the new requirement. The issue returned before the bench on Thursday.

The latest suggestion therefore creates a possible distinction between the current Class 6 batch and students who enter Class 6 from 2027.

If the CBSE accepts the court's suggestion, the new framework would effectively get a fresh starting point with the next Class 6 cohort, giving schools and families additional time to prepare.

For now, however, the change is not a final Supreme Court order.

The CBSE is expected to consider the suggestion and submit its response, while the substantive legal challenge to the three-language policy remains pending.