Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concerns over the mandatory implementation of the three-language policy for Class IX students by the CBSE in the current mid-session. Singh, who is also the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, has urged Modi to put the policy on hold, citing potential disruption and chaos.
Singh argued that the sudden enforcement of the policy mid-session, without adequate teachers, textbooks, or transition time, is likely to create serious disruption. He also pointed out that the CBSE's governing body had ratified a recommendation to continue with the existing Scheme of Studies, especially with regards to language, until the release of graded textbooks of languages by NCERT.
However, despite this decision, the CBSE issued a circular on May 15, 2026, requesting the implementation of third-language instruction in Grade IX from 1st July 2026. The NCERT has not yet released graded textbooks of language, and the CBSE has recommended the use of the NCERT's Grade 6 textbooks.
Singh also highlighted the challenges faced by students in the Southern and North-Eastern States, where Hindi is not spoken, and local tribal languages may not feature in the CBSE's recognised language list. He urged Modi to put the implementation of the policy on hold immediately, citing the severe shortage of qualified Sanskrit teachers and appropriate textbooks.
