CBSE students currently in Class 7-9 can keep subject combination till 10th: Reports

In a significant move, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has allowed Class 7 to 9 students, who have opted for two foreign languages under the CBSE’s three-language policy, to continue with the same subject combination till Class 10.

This means that students who opted for two foreign languages under the existing system may retain their current language combination until their Class 10 board exam, several media reports suggested.

However, the requirement to study at least two Indian languages will be introduced prospectively from Class 6 and will not be applied retrospectively to students currently in Classes 7 to 9.

An official notice from CBSE on the clarification is yet to be issued.

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CBSE's three-language policy

The confirmation comes after the CBSE board announced that students studying in Class 9 must study foreign languages from July 1 onwards, and at least two languages have to be native Indian languages.

Earlier, the CBSE board also mandated the three-language policy for Class 6 students and implemented it in April 2026. The move is part of the CBSE's alignment of its scheme of studies with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.

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SC refuses relief challenging CBSE’s policy.

The move comes after the Supreme Court, a week earlier, refused to pass any interim order on a plea challenging the implementation of a CBSE 3-language policy mandating the study of three languages, including two native Indian languages, for Class 9 students from the 2026-27 academic session.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana declined to stay the policy and directed that the plea be tagged with similar petitions pending on the issue.

The move to implement CBSE’s three-language framework had sparked concerns among students who had opted for two foreign languages under the previous framework.

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Education minister on 3-language policy

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the CBSE's earlier communication had not clearly stated the facts for students already in the system.

“CBSE could not give a clear order. No child will face any difficulty. Those already studying two foreign languages will be allowed to continue till they pass Class 10,” he said, as per TOI reports.

Students who opted for two foreign languages under the existing system will be allowed to continue with their current language combination until their Class 10 board examinations. Those currently in Class 9 will take the examination in 2028, while those in Class 7 will do so in 2030.