Supreme Court Urges CBSE to Exempt Class VI Students from Three-Language Policy

New Delhi: Supreme Court Wednesday reiterated its request to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to consider exempting Class VI students from the three-language policy, which mandates them to take up at least two native languages, and said this would give them breathing space this academic session. A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana told solicitor general Tushar Mehta that CBSE must examine extending the relaxation given up to Class VII to students of Class VI this year. Mehta said that since it has been observed by SC, he, with additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, would call a meeting of CBSE officials along with other officers concerned this week and take a call on this. "We will appraise the court of the decision taken in the next hearing," he said. SC posted the matter for hearing on Sept 17. When the counsel for petitioners referred to Justice Bagchi's earlier observation on how English should be treated - a native or foreign language - Mehta said govt has some issue with the proposition that English is a native language.

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Justice Bagchi said, "What is logistically less obstructive is the cutoff year for implementation of the three-language policy. Regarding the status of English, it may require full-fledged debate." SC also issued notice to CBSE on a fresh petition filed by the Forum of Minority Schools. Its counsel, Romy Chacko, told SC that it violated their fundamental rights relating to the protection of minority character of educational institutions, institutional autonomy and foundational identity, which are protected under Article 30(1) of Constitution.

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