# Supreme Court suggests CBSE defer 3-language rule for Class 6 to 2027 2026-09-18T02:02:57+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the CBSE to consider deferring the three-language mandate for current Class 6 students until the 2027 academic session, saying the requirement should not be sprung as a surprise mid-year. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana suggested the postponement while hearing petitions challenging the policy. The CBSE, represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, said it would consider the suggestion and submit a response. The court made clear its proposal is without prejudice to the rights of parties and the larger legal challenge to the policy remains pending. Justice Bagchi noted the 2020 National Education Policy envisaged the framework, and pushing the start to early 2027 would give everyone time to adjust. Students currently in Class 6 who wish to volunteer for three languages could also be permitted, the court indicated. The matter returns to court on September 23. ## Indian Opinion Analysis All three sources report the same Supreme Court suggestion to defer the three-language mandate for current Class 6 students to 2027, with no discernible slant. English.mathrubhumi.com and livelaw.in provide the most detail on the court's reasoning, including Justice Bagchi's remarks about avoiding a surprise mid-year, and the caveat that the suggestion is without prejudice to the legal challenge. Rediff.com's PTI-sourced piece is more concise, foregrounding the policy's alignment with NEP-2020. The uniform coverage suggests broad consensus on the facts. The September 23 hearing will clarify whether the CBSE accepts the deferral, leaving the policy's constitutional validity undecided. ## Coverage - english.mathrubhumi.com (neutral report) Led with SC seeking relief, detailed the legal context and background policy - livelaw.in (neutral report) Highlighted court remarks and CBSE's reconsideration, verbatim quotes from bench - rediff.com (neutral report) PTI wire copy, brief on court's suggestion, focused on policy alignment with NEP Tags: CBSE, NEP 2020, Supreme Court of India, Surya Kant, three-language policy Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-suggests-cbse-defer-three-language-rule-to-2027/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-suggests-cbse-defer-three-language-rule-to-2027/#story-in-brief