Overview
The Solicitor General Tushar Mehta asked the Supreme Court for more time to decide on a suggestion to exempt the present Class 6 students from the mandatory three‑language policy. The request was made on 23 September 2026 during a hearing of a three‑Judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
Key Developments
- The bench, with Justice Joymalya Bagchi, emphasized that any relief should consider the comfort of the students, not just legal technicalities.
- The Court asked the Union government to detail the availability of teachers and infrastructure needed for the three‑language scheme.
- The matter was adjourned to 28 September 2026 for the government to submit its response.
- Earlier, the Court had suggested that the mandatory implementation start from 1 January 2027 instead of imposing it on the current batch with only four months left in the academic year.
- The Chief Justice urged the government to consider incentives to encourage children to learn a third language.
Important Facts
Initially, the Union government wanted the scheme to begin with the current Class 6 cohort in 2026. Under CBSE guidelines, students in Classes 7‑9 were exempted, while the present Class 6 batch would face full implementation, including a mandatory Class 10 Board exam in the third language by 2031.
Exam Relevance
This case touches on several GS topics:
- Polity (GS2): Role of the judiciary in policy implementation and the powers of the Supreme Court to direct the executive.
- Education (GS2): The constitutional mandate of the three‑language policy and its practical challenges.
- Governance (GS2): Coordination between central agencies, state education departments, and school boards like CBSE to ensure infrastructure and teacher availability.
Way Forward
The Union government must submit a detailed plan on teacher recruitment, classroom resources, and possible incentives for students. If the plan satisfies the Court, a phased rollout from 1 January 2027 could be approved, giving the current batch a short reprieve while ensuring the policy’s long‑term goals are met.