Key Takeaways

  • CBSE has made the third language assessment compulsory for the 2027-28 Class 10 batch.
  • The assessment will be conducted by schools, not through a Board exam.
  • Students must pass the assessment to receive their Class 10 pass certificate.

Quick Facts

  • Who is affected? Students currently in Class 9 (2026-27 session).
  • Is there a Board exam? No, the assessment is school-based.
  • Can students be promoted if they fail? Yes, they will move to Class 10 but must later clear the assessment.
  • When does the rule begin? Class 10 Board examination batch of 2027-28.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that students appearing for the Class 10 board examination from the 2027-28 academic session will have to successfully clear the school-based assessment in the third language (R3) to receive the Secondary School Examination Pass Certificate. While there will be no separate CBSE board examination for the third language, qualifying the internal assessment conducted by schools will be compulsory.

The clarification applies to students who are currently studying in Class 9 during the 2026-27 academic session. CBSE has reiterated that although the third language will not form part of the external Class 10 Board examination, students must meet the prescribed assessment requirements in the subject before they can be awarded the pass certificate after Class 10.

According to the board, students who do not clear the school-based third language assessment in Class 9 will not be detained. They will be promoted to Class 10 and will be given another opportunity to qualify the pending assessment. However, they must eventually pass the assessment before the Class 10 pass certificate is issued.

CBSE has also clarified that there will be no change for students appearing in the Class 10 Board examinations during the 2026-27 academic year. The revised requirement will come into effect only for the batch taking the examination in 2027-28.

The revised framework is part of CBSE’s implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes multilingual learning through the three-language formula. Under the new system, schools will be responsible for conducting and evaluating the third language assessment instead of the Board holding a separate examination.

The policy has also become the subject of legal scrutiny. Petitions challenging the implementation of the three-language policy are currently being heard by the Supreme Court. The court has declined to stay the policy for now, allowing CBSE to continue its implementation while the matter remains under consideration.