Supreme Court tells CBSE to give current Class 6 the same exemption as Class 7

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central Board of Secondary Education that students now in Class 6 may receive the same exemption as Class 7. Hindustan Times quoted the bench: "We direct the students of Class 6 may be granted the same exemption as granted to Class 7 students." LiveLaw quoted the order: "In light of this, we direct that students of 6th standard may be granted same exemption as granted to class 7 students." The bench was Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana. LiveLaw named the case as Yashica Bhandari Jain and others v. Union of India, W.P.(C) No. 694/2026, and connected petitions challenging the three-language formula. The reports do not say the rule was struck down.

The papers describe that exemption differently. Hindustan Times called it a one-time exemption for current Class 6, the same "comfort" as Classes 7, 8 and 9, and quoted the bench: "Let students of Class 6 have the same comfort as Class 7 students" and "Have it implemented from April 2027." The court said it was placing no interdict on the CBSE scheme. LiveLaw linked the order to the Class 7–9 relaxation Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati described: no Class 10 board exam in the third language, only internal assessment. The Chief Justice indicated: "There will be no pass/failure. There will only be appearance certificate." The Times of India said Class 6 gets the exemptions of Classes 7 and 8, studies the third language, and does not sit a board exam in it in Class 10. Students already taking two non-native languages may keep them and add one Bharatiya Bhasha.

The government asked the court to let this year's Class 6 proceed. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that, after the court's earlier suggestion, CBSE had decided to implement the policy for Class 6 from this year, and that he would press for that. Hindustan Times reported his figures as 28,000-odd schools, almost 99 per cent already equipped, and 1.2 per cent in difficulty. LiveLaw reported 28,819 schools, with the same 1.2 per cent short, and said the order recorded that 99 per cent had adequate infrastructure. Mehta said Class 6 was the starting cohort under the National Education Policy 2020 and the 2023 curriculum framework, and that an exemption would break the continuity those documents contemplate. The court still ordered Class 7's exemption for Class 6, noting that months had passed since the session began in April.

Petitioners' counsel argued for more time. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said students had complied because they had no choice, that books were missing online at first, and that ICSE and state boards were not making a similar mid-year change. LiveLaw reported his figure of about 28.83 lakh students and his request to wait until 2027. Hindustan Times reported counsel citing nearly 3,00,000 students. The two figures are left as each paper gave them. Senior advocate Anand Grover raised narrow language choice, including Punjabi, and missing textbooks. The bench referred to study on phones during Covid. One counsel asked how English could be treated as non-native. Justice Bagchi said the court will consider that question.

Hindustan Times reported CBSE's earlier account: third-language books in 22 scheduled languages were on the NCERT site for over 98 per cent of choices. Of 20,777 schools, 19,386 had teachers for two indigenous languages. A committee set up on 16 September is monitoring Classes 6 to 10. The bench asked CBSE to reach schools still in difficulty, and said it would step in if a school held a student back on internal assessment.

What's next

LiveLaw reported a CBSE counter-affidavit within four weeks, then a rejoinder, with the main matter posted for hearing. Hindustan Times reported that main hearing after six weeks, and quoted the bench on implementation from April 2027. The challenge to the policy is still pending.