CBSE makes third language compulsory for Class 9 from July, with Class 6 books and shared teachers

CBSE 3 Language Policy For Class 9: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made third language compulsory for Class 9 from this year itself and asked schools to use the Class 6 textbook for now. In case there’s no teacher for the third language,schools have been asked to assign other subject teachers with “functional proficiency” in the language.

The board’s notification, issued on Friday, says the third language for Class 9 will be effective from July 1, 2026. The study of three languages – R1, R2, R3 – shall be compulsory and at least two languages have to be native Indian languages.

The board has also mandated the same three-language policy for Class 6 as well but implemented that from April. Academia360 had earlier reported on how a 3rd language will be compulsory for CBSE Class 10 and how, for thousands of students in English-medium schools, Sanskrit will be the only R3 language option as the CBSE has chosen to treat English as a foreign language.

Class 9 students are likely to confront the same problem. “Students who wish to study a foreign language may do so as the third language only if the other two languages are native Indian languages, or as an additional fourth language,” the circular states.

CBSE Class 6 textbooks for Class 9 R3 language

The Central Board of Secondary Education has also asked schools to use Class 6 CBSE third language textbooks for Class 9 students.

Justifying the use of Class 6 textbooks, the board argues in its notification that there is “approximately 75–80% overlap in core language competencies” between the middle stage (Classes 6-8) and secondary stage (Class 9-12) in R3, hence the justification to use the class 6 textbooks. It lists oral communication, reading comprehension, written expression and grammatical awareness as core competencies for language learning.

“Accordingly, till the dedicated R3 textbooks are available, Class 9 students shall use the

Class 6 R3 textbooks (2026–27 edition) of the chosen language. In order to adequately address the competencies envisaged at the secondary stage, these textbooks will be supplemented with one appropriate local or state literary material, selected by schools, such as short stories, poems, or non-fiction works,” says the circular.

The supply of the textbooks for Class 9 has been erratic, especially given the National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) textbook rewriting efforts. Schools are facing such shortages, the education ministry had to intervene.

The board will frame and issue guidelines on the supplementary literary material by June 15.

The Class 6 R3 textbooks in the 19 scheduled languages are also not available yet. The board says they will be by July 1. For the remaining native Indian languages, available SCERT and state-level resources may be used, as per past practice.

CBSE Class 9: Other subject teachers for R3 language

The board has said that schools that don’t have enough teachers qualified to teach an Indian language can, as a stop-gap arrangement for R3 language, engage existing teachers of other subjects who possess “functional proficiency” in the language.

It also suggests sharing of resources – meaning teachers – through Sahodaya clusters.

Virtual or hybrid teaching support is also suggested, along with engagement of retired language teachers, and utilisation of suitably qualified postgraduates during the transition period.

CBSE Class 9 Syllabus: School-based R3 assessment

With no proper teachers or textbooks in place, no board examination shall be conducted for R3 in Class 10.

“All assessments for R3 shall be entirely school-based and internal. The performance of students in R3 will be duly reflected in the CBSE certificate,” circular states. It also says that schools can’t bar students from appearing in the Class 10 board exams due to R3.

Sample question papers and rubrics for internal assessment will be available later. “It is also requested that schools must update their R3 offering, as per policy recommendations, for Classes 6 to 9 on the OASIS portal by June 30 2026,” says the circular.

CBSE 9th Class Syllabus: R3 exemptions

Children with Special Needs (CwSN) shall be granted relaxations as per the RPwD Act, 2016 and this includes exemption from second and/or third languages altogether. CBSE schools situated outside India are also exempt.

“Foreign students coming back to India may be granted case-by-case exemptions from the requirement of two native Indian languages,” added the board.