‘After 3 years of German, now Sanskrit?’ CBSE language policy triggers questions in Delhi schools & homes

NEW DELHI: For three years, a Class IX student of a private school in Delhi was quietly building his future around a dream centred on Germany. Fascinated by automobiles, he started learning German from Class VI, preparing himself to study engineering and work in the country’s hallowed automobile industry.However, his family now fears that roadmap may have to change because of CBSE’s new three-language policy. “My son’s goal was to go to Germany, study at a university there and work in one of the top automobile companies. That’s why he studied German for three years. But his dream could now be shattered. Also, how will he start learning Sanskrit from scratch from Class IX?” his father asked — a question now echoing across classrooms and WhatsApp groups in the city. The concerns follow CBSE’s decision to make three languages compulsory in Class IX from the 2026-27 session, with at least two being native Indian languages. While there will be no Board examination for the third language in Class X, a student wanting to continue with a foreign language of his choice can do so by keeping it as an additional fourth language, provided the school still offers it.The move is part of NEP 2020’s push for multilingual learning and forging stronger links with Indian languages and culture. But many parents and educators say the issue is not the idea alone, but the timing and execution.Roopa, the mother of a Class IX student, said that under the new framework, her son may have to give up French altogether. “He will have to learn a completely new language at a stage when he should be focusing on his core subjects,” she said, adding that the change places “a lot of unnecessary pressure on kids”.Learning a new language is easier when it is introduced at an earlier stage. “It involves listening, speaking, reading and writing. It would have been better if these languages were introduced from Classes I to V, with the reading and writing parts beginning from Class VI onwards,” Roopa said.A PIL challenging the three-language policy has been filed in Supreme Court, with some parents saying more petitions may follow as concerns continue to grow over the implementation of the framework.Abhilasha, another parent, said the transition should have been gradual instead of sudden at the secondary-school level. “This should have been rolled out from Class VI onwards so that the continuity of a child’s education is not disrupted. My daughter has chosen English as her first language (R1) and can take Hindi as one of the Indian languages. But what are we supposed to do about the second Indian language? She has already been learning German for the past three years,” she said.Schools had already begun classes, and students, in several cases, completed Class IX unit tests before CBSE’s announcement on May 16. “My son had taken his English and French unit tests before these guidelines kicked in. Children who have spent years studying a foreign language are now suddenly being told to change course midway, and that creates confusion and uncertainty,” said Anushka Rohatgi, a parent.The debate has also widened into questions beyond learning a new language so late in school. Parents wonder how additional native-language requirements connect with future careers and global opportunities. “How will Sanskrit help with employment opportunities?” one parent asked. Others point to what they see as conflicting messages in education policy — promoting a “global curriculum” and project-based learning while simultaneously tightening rules around language choices.In schools, administrators say the challenge is moving from policy to logistics. Adding six to seven extra periods each week for another language could reshape timetables, potentially affecting sports, library and life-skills periods.A principal, on the condition of anonymity, said they can’t have teachers for all subjects in the school, and may have to make Sanskrit “mandatory” as the second native language.“The shortage of qualified language teachers is also a major concern,” said principal Pallavi Sharma of Mamta Modern School. Schools are struggling with staffing costs, timetable adjustments and uncertainty around assessment patterns. “Students from diverse linguistic backgrounds may struggle to adapt, affecting their interest and performance in major subjects like science and mathematics,” she said, adding that preparations for competitive exams could also be affected.Rooma Pathak, principal of MM Public School in Pitampura, said while multilingualism is a welcome goal, the implementation needs support. “Many students entering Class IX have had little or no exposure to Sanskrit or a third Indian language till Class VIII,” she said. The students, she added, will have to manage “a steep learning curve in script, grammar and literature” while balancing five major subjects and skill courses.Pathak also pointed to another challenge, which begins in classrooms. Teachers may have to simultaneously support complete beginners and students with previous language exposure in the absence of standardised bridge material or remedial frameworks.Some parents and educators say schools may increasingly look at alternative boards, such as IB and Cambridge, to preserve existing foreign-language ecosystems and teaching expertise.Many say multilingualism can enrich learning, but only if students are given room to grow into new languages rather than being asked to switch tracks midway through the journey.