Noida: CBSE’s decision to implement a new three-language structure for Class 9 from July 1 has left students, parents and schools in a bind, with many now in effect being asked to rethink subject choices midway through the academic cycle.The policy may be in line with NEP 2020, but several principals said its sudden rollout for the current Class 9 batch — instead of from 2029-30, as schools had earlier understood — has created confusion at precisely the stage when students begin laying the foundation for board exams.In a circular issued on May 15, CBSE said that from the 2026-27 academic session, Class 9 students must study three languages — R1, R2 and R3 — of which at least two must be Indian. Schools said the problem is not the idea itself, but the timing. They now must finalise the R3 roadmap by June 30 and upload it on the board portal, even as questions remain over teachers, textbooks and subject combinations.“Had the policy been implemented from 2029-30 — as earlier suggested — students would have studied three languages right from middle school. The transition would then have been smooth because they would already be used to the structure by Class 9,” said Aditi Basu Roy, president of the All India Principals Association and principal of Grads International School in Noida.The biggest impact is for students who studied a combination of English, Hindi and a foreign language such as French or German from classes 6 to 8. Under the revised structure, if they continue with French or German, that subject will effectively become a fourth language because students must still study two Indian languages along with English.That means a student who has learnt French since Class 6 may now have to add another Indian language in Class 9, just as the academic load begins to intensify.“For many students, Class 9 is the foundation year for board preparations and competitive exams. Introducing an entirely new language at this stage will only increase academic stress, especially for those who have never studied a second Indian language earlier,” said Annika Singh, a student of a private CBSE school in Ghaziabad.Schools said the fallout is already visible. Parents and students who had bought French and German textbooks and begun classes in the new academic session are now unsure whether those subjects are worth continuing.“Students and parents are confused because many have already purchased French and German books and classes have started. Now they are being told these may become optional fourth languages. Naturally, fewer students would like to continue. Schools have invested for years in recruiting and training French and German teachers. If enrolment drops sharply, the future of these departments becomes uncertain,” Roy told TOI.CBSE has said that for the existing Class 9 batch, there will be no board examination for R3. Students will instead study Class 6-level R3 textbooks until a revised syllabus is introduced.But educators insisted that the stop-gap arrangement only underlines how unprepared the system is.“There is still no clarity on textbooks, syllabus transition or teaching resources. Even after nearly two months of the session, hard copies of NCERT books have not reached many schools. We had already held teacher training and parent sessions after the earlier circular. Now, this has created another layer of confusion. Timetables are set, the curriculum is planned, and several new Class 9 subjects have already been introduced. One more change means a complete reshuffle,” said Seema Jerath, principal of DLF Public School in Ghaziabad.Principals also said NCR schools face a practical hurdle that the circular does not fully address — linguistic diversity.“In NCR, students come from very different backgrounds — Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Odia and several south Indian languages. Students should have the freedom to choose their preferred Indian language. But arranging qualified teachers for every option becomes a major administrative and logistical challenge,” Roy added.
