The
Central Board of Secondary education (CBSE) has issued a fresh directive asking all affiliated schools to
finalize the mandatory third language (R3) for Class 6 students by May 31, 2026.This is part of the new
three-language policy under NEP 2020, which will be implemented from the 2026–27 academic year.
📅 What is the May 31 Deadline?🟢 All CBSE schools must
upload and confirm the Class 6 third language (R3)🖥️ Submission must be done through the official CBSE/OASIS portal⚠️ Schools must also
correct any incorrect or non-compliant language selections⛔ This is a
final deadline for compliance👉 CBSE has warned that failure to comply may lead to strict monitoring and action from regional offices.
📖 What is the Third language Rule?From Class 6 onwards:Students must study
3 languages (R1, R2, R3)At least
2 languages must be indian languagesThe third language becomes
mandatory from 2026–27 batch🇮🇳 Which Languages Can Schools Choose?Most schools are selecting from:HindiSanskritTamilBengaliMarathiPunjabi👉 Many schools are
reducing or removing foreign languages like French and German for R3 due to new guidelines.
🎯 Why CBSE Set This DeadlineCBSE is pushing schools to:Ensure
uniform implementation across IndiaAlign with
National Curriculum Framework (NCF 2023)Promote
Indian languages and multilingual learningAvoid delays in rollout for the 2026–27 academic session
🏫 What Happens Next?Selected third language will continue till higher classesStudents will study all 3 languages through Class 10Schools must prepare textbooks and teacher allocation accordingly
⚠️ Why This Matters for parents & StudentsLanguage choice in Class 6 is now
long-term (not changeable easily later)It will affect
future board exam preparationSchools are finalizing options quickly, so students may not have many choices later
✨ ConclusionThe CBSE’s May 31 deadline is a key step in rolling out the new
mandatory three-language system in Class 6. Schools must finalize their language mapping on time to ensure a smooth transition for the 2026–27 academic year.
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