No Midway Language Switch for CBSE Class VII to IX Students Minister Clarifies
On Thursday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan clarified that the revised three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP) will apply prospectively from Class VI. This announcement brought immense relief to lakhs of CBSE students and anxious parents in Delhi localities such as Vasant Kunj and Pitampura, confirming that students currently in Classes VII, VIII, and IX will not be forced to change their chosen foreign language subjects midway through school.
The clarification eased weeks of anxiety for parents who feared their children would have to abandon languages they had studied for years and abruptly switch to Sanskrit or other subjects just before entering higher classes. Under the clarified guidelines, students who had opted for two foreign languages will be allowed to continue with their chosen combination until their Class X board examinations.
Prior to the minister's statement, several Delhi schools had already begun preparing for a transition. Some institutions had held orientation sessions to explain the proposed language changes, informed parents that foreign language vacation homework did not need to be completed, and advised students that Sanskrit would replace foreign languages in the new academic session.
A parent of a student at a school in Vasant Kunj shared that she had received a call from the administration stating that because very few children had opted for the foreign language as a third language, the school would no longer offer it, meaning her child would have to study Sanskrit starting in July.
Another parent, Rashmi Saha, expressed relief at the news, noting that her family had already begun preparing their child for a completely different language. Saha highlighted how difficult and unfair it would have been to force a student to start a new language from scratch after years of learning.
School administrators also faced challenges due to the initial ambiguity. Rooma Pathak, principal of MM Public School in Pitampura, noted that the implementation had created significant confusion among schools and parents. Pathak pointed out that students had already purchased books and started attending classes, making a sudden midway change extremely difficult, while also raising concerns about foreign language teachers eventually becoming redundant.
Minister Pradhan acknowledged that the CBSE's earlier communication had failed to clearly explain the transition. A formal circular from the CBSE is currently awaited.
