The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday announced that the third language will be a compulsory qualifying subject for students in Classes 9 and 10 under the National Education Policy
(NEP) 2020 framework.
The Board clarified that while the third language will not be included in the Class 10 board examination, students will have to pass a school-based internal assessment in the subject from the 2027-28 academic session.
Students who fail to clear the internal assessment in the third language will not be awarded the Secondary School Examination pass certificate, the CBSE said.
Under the three-language formula, students will be required to study two Bharatiya Bhashas (Indian languages) and one non-native language.
The revised policy will apply to students entering Class 9 in the 2026-27 academic session and Class 10 in 2027-28. However, students who are already in Class 10 during the 2026-27 academic session will not be required to study or qualify in a third language under the new norms.
Third Language School-Based Assessment Now Compulsory
Under a CBSE circular issued on July 10, students entering Class 10 in the 2027-28 academic session will be required to pass the school-based assessment in the third language, designated as R3, to be eligible for the Secondary School Examination pass certificate.
Although the third language will not form part of the Class 10 Board examination, qualifying in its internal assessment has been made a mandatory condition for passing the secondary school examination.
The Board has also outlined the procedure for students who fail the assessment. If a Class 10 student does not clear the third language internal assessment, the school must conduct a reassessment before the declaration of the Board examination results.
For students in Class 9, the policy provides some flexibility. Those who fail the third language assessment will still be promoted to Class 10. However, they will have to clear the pending Class 9 assessment during the following academic year while studying in Class 10.
The revised framework ensures that students are not detained in Class 9 because of the third language requirement, but they must successfully complete the assessment before they can be awarded the Class 10 pass certificate.
According to a CBSE circular issued on July 10, students entering Class 10 from the 2027-28 academic year must clear the school-based assessment in the third language, referred to as R3, to receive the Secondary School Examination pass certificate.
If a student fails to qualify in the internal assessment during Class 10, schools will be required to conduct a reassessment before the final Board results are declared. While the subject will not be tested in the Board examination, clearing the internal assessment has been made mandatory for passing Class 10.
The circular also clarifies the policy for Class 9 students. Those who fail the school-based assessment in the third language will still be promoted to Class 10 during the 2027-28 academic year. However, they must clear the pending Class 9 third language assessment while studying in Class 10.
This provision ensures that students are not held back in Class 9 but are still required to meet the language requirement before completing secondary education.
