SC bench raises concerns over teacher availability, infrastructure for implementation of third language policy

The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Central Government, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on a petition that challenges the mandatory third language policy for students of Classes 9 and 10. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi declined to stay the CBSE circular on implementation from July 1 and said that the respondents should be given an opportunity to file their replies before any interim order is passed.

The petition filed in apex court questions the compulsory nature of the third language requirement and raises concerns over difficulties that schools and students will face.

Also read Maharashtra’s draft curriculum framework drops third language for Classes 3 to 10

During the proceedings, Justice Joymalya Bagchi raised questions regarding the preparedness of schools to implement the policy effectively. He asked the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) whether schools across the country had an adequate number of teachers to teach the additional language and sought details regarding infrastructure-related issues connected to implementation.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the petitioner, argued before the bench that his side should also be granted a hearing on the concerns raised in the plea. In response, Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that the respondents must first submit their replies to the notice issued by the court.

The bench also made broader observations on the debate surrounding language education policies in the country. Chief Justice Surya Kant noted that the issue has two sides and pointed out that while some people may view a third language as a tool to strengthen federalism and national unity, others may hold a different opinion.

Also read CBSE third language policy throws French, Spanish, German teachers across schools into crisis

The court’s remarks comes amid a national debate over multilingual education, in context of the National Education Policy (NEP). Concerns have been raised over whether schools, particularly those in smaller towns and rural regions, have sufficient trained teachers and resources to implement the policy uniformly.

CBSE under scanner

CBSE has come under scrutiny on social media over multiple issues primarily linked to its new On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Several students alleged discrepancies in uploaded answer sheets, including missing marks and mismatched handwriting in scanned copies. Adding to the controversy, ethical hacker Nisarga Adhikary claimed he had identified vulnerabilities in the OSM portal’s login and authentication systems in February. The issue escalated further after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned COEMPT’s role and linked it to earlier Telangana controversies.