Digvijaya Singh urges PM Modi to halt three-language policy rollout

Digvijaya Singh wrote to PM Modi against the mandatory mid-session implementation of the three-language policy for CBSE Class IX. Citing a lack of teachers and textbooks, he urged the Centre to immediately put the policy on hold for students.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised concerns over the mandatory implementation of the three-language policy in the current-mid- session. He also urged the Centre to put the policy immediately on hold "I am forwarding herewith a representation received from a group of concerned parents of CBSE Class IX students, opposing the mandatory implementation of the three-language policy in the current mid-session," Singh wrote in the letter.

Concerns over 'hasty implementation'

"Having gone through the representation, I find the concerns raised to be genuine and deserving of immediate attention. The sudden enforcement of this policy mid-session without adequate teachers, textbooks, or transition time- is likely to create serious disruption, not unlike the chaos witnessed during the hasty implementation of CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which adversely impacted lakhs of students across the country".

CBSE 'overturned' own decision

Singh said that it has been brought to his attention that the CBSE's Governing Body in its meeting in December 2025 had ratified the Curriculum Committee's recommendation that 'schools continue with the existing Scheme of Studies, especially with regards to language until the release of graded textbooks of languages by NCERT.'

Despite its own Governing Body's decision, the CBSE issued a circular on May 15, 2026, asking for the implementation of 3rd language instruction in Grade IX from 1st July 2026, the Rajya Sabha MP said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made the study of three languages compulsory for students from Class IX beginning July 1, while clarifying that there will be no Board examination for the third language (R3) in Class X.

The NCERT has not yet released graded textbooks of language and the CBSE has therefore recommended the use of the NCERT's Grade 6 textbooks, he added.

Singh said, "It is not clear how and why the CBSE has so evidently overturned its Governing Body's decision, and in a way that threatens the academic planning of thousands of schools across the country".

Regional challenges and teacher shortage

According to Singh, the situation is particularly untenable for students in the Southern and North-Eastern States, where Hindi is not spoken and local tribal languages may not feature in CBSE's recognised language list. Sanskrit has emerged as a popular third language choice for many schools but it should also be noted that there is a severe shortage of qualified Sanskrit teachers and appropriate textbooks a situation that would defeat the very purpose of promoting this beautiful language," he added.

Urgent appeal to halt policy

Rising above all other considerations, my respectful recommendation is that the implementation of this policy for current Class IX students be put on hold immediately," he said in his letter.

"I understand that the matter is sub-judice but that the verdict of the honourable Court is only due on 15th July, 2026. This is after the date on which schools are meant to be implementing the instruction of the third language (i.e., 1a July 2026). Therefore, I earnestly hope that the matter will receive your urgent and sympathetic consideration in the interest of the millions of students whose academic futures depend on sound and well-prepared policy decisions," the Congress leader said. (ANI)

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