NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced major changes in the CBSE secondary school curriculum in alignment with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023 and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
In accordance with the national circular and NCFSE’s multilingual vision, languages are organised through a structured three-language framework across stages —R1, R2, and R3.
As per the official notification, two out of these three languages must be languages native to India.
The R3 (third language) will be made compulsory from Class 6, with effect from 2026-27 academic session, ensuring that every learner studies at least two Indian languages.
“R3 level textbooks will be introduced in Class 6 this year. They will write their board exams in 2031, and that’s when the entire scheme will change, and the three-language formula will be entirely implemented,” media reports quoted CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh as saying.
This phased introduction ensures smooth curricular transition and alignment with secondary stage assessment reforms. Students in Classes 9 and 10 will study three languages. The languages chosen at R1 and R2 must be different. “The same language cannot be offered simultaneously at more than one level,” the board said.
The same textbooks will be used for R1 and R2 levels until NCERT develops level-specific textbooks for different languages. However, the syllabus and assessment will be different for both levels.
Language Selection Explained
R1: Any Language from the ones offered by CBSE
R2: Language other than the one offered as R1
R3: Language other than the ones offered as R1 and R2
The board clearly states that till the above scheme is fully operational, i.e., for students currently in class 7 and higher, it is compulsory that all students must have studied three languages up to class 8.
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“No student shall be eligible to appear in the Secondary School Examination of the Board at the end of Class 10, unless she/he has passed in the third language,” the CBSR said.
According to the curriculum, this arrangement will continue till R3 is introduced in Class 9, i.e., 2029-30.
The curriculum stated that the board will continue to prescribe textbooks for regional languages for Classes 9 and 10 in the respective state boards till the time NCERT textbooks are available.