New Delhi, 17 September (H.S.): The Supreme Court, while hearing a case concerning the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) three-language policy, once again asked the Central government on Thursday to consider providing relief to Class 6 students. Justice Joymalya Bagchi, a member of the bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, observed that since this is a national policy, it operates within a defined institutional framework. He questioned why the same relief could not be extended to Class 6 students if an exemption has already been granted to students from Classes 7 to 10.

During the hearing, the Central government submitted that Class 6 students would have to appear for their board examinations after four years and therefore needed to begin preparing from now. The government said a special committee had been constituted to examine the issue in its entirety as well as the practical difficulties associated with implementing the three-language policy. It also said that a detailed note on the matter was being filed before the court.

Senior advocate Anand Grover, appearing for the petitioners, questioned the Centre’s position and submitted that officials had expressed reservations about providing relaxation in the implementation of the policy for Class 6 students.

The Centre, however, said that students from Classes 7 to 10 had already been granted an exemption under the policy. It maintained that the three-language policy should therefore be implemented for Class 6 students.

The petition has been filed on behalf of students, parents and teachers. It states that under the CBSE’s new three-language policy, students from Class 9 onwards have been required to study two additional languages. Of the three languages, students are required to study two Indian languages.

The petition argues that suddenly making it mandatory for Class 9 students to study two additional languages could affect their preparation for the Class 10 board examinations. It questions how students would be able to learn two new languages at such short notice and subsequently appear for examinations in them in Class 10. According to the petitioners, the requirement could cause considerable difficulties for students.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar