Centre assures Supreme Court on three-language policy implementation

The Centre has assured the Supreme Court that it will implement suggestions regarding the Central Board of Secondary Education's three-language policy, according to a circular issued on May 15. Under the framework, students seeking to study a foreign language are required to do so only as their third language choice, provided they have already selected two Indian languages as their primary language options.

Alternatively, students may pursue a foreign language as an additional fourth language beyond the mandatory three-language structure. This approach aims to ensure that Indian languages remain the foundation of students' linguistic education before they pursue studies in foreign languages.

The policy represents an effort to balance educational flexibility with the government's emphasis on promoting Indian language acquisition among school-going children. By positioning foreign languages as optional additions rather than core curriculum components, the framework seeks to maintain focus on native language proficiency across the country's education system.

The Supreme Court's involvement underscores the significance of language policy in India's education sector, where debates over curriculum structure continue to shape student learning pathways. The government's commitment to implementation follows the apex court's scrutiny of how educational boards execute language policies across schools nationwide.