The Supreme Court on Tuesday once again asked the CBSE to consider giving a one-time reprieve to students currently in Class 6 from the third-language
requirement under its revised three-language policy. The court said the relaxation could ensure that students who were promoted to Class 6 in January do not have to face a mandatory board examination in the third language when they reach Class 10. Justice Bagchi told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the CBSE should at least consider granting relief to the current Class 6 batch. "At least consider Class 6 for relaxation...they were promoted in January. If they can be accommodated as a one-time reprieve from the third-language requirement, so that they do not face a mandatory board examination in that language when they reach Class 10,” Justice Bagchi said. Mehta told the court that he would take up the issue with officials immediately. “Since it has fallen from Lordships I will call officials today itself and discuss it. All of us will sit together and then we will revert to your lordships,” the Solicitor General said. SC Questions CBSE On English As Foreign Language The bench also questioned the Centre over the CBSE policy’s treatment of English as a foreign language. When the court asked whether English should be categorised as a foreign language, Mehta said the Centre had an issue with the classification. “That we have an issue with. We have a considered view on English as a language,” he said, adding that the issue could be discussed on the next date of hearing. Lawyers representing the petitioners opposing the policy argued that the three-language framework places English in the foreign-language category along with options such as French, Japanese and Spanish. According to the petitioners, the policy requires students to study at least two Indian languages, leaving only one slot for a foreign language. Since a large majority of students choose English for that slot, they argued that other foreign languages, including French and Japanese, could effectively be pushed out of the mainstream curriculum. The petitioners also pointed out that many students are already studying French and Japanese under the existing system. They argued that students who have already opted for French could now be required to give it up and choose another Indian language instead. The matter has been listed for further hearing on September 17.
