'How Can English Be Non-Native?': Supreme Court Asks CBSE to Revisit Language Policy Terms
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The Supreme Court of India has raised serious concerns over the Central Board of Secondary Education describing English as a "non-native language" within its three-language policy framework. A bench headed by the Chief Justice questioned the rationale behind the terminology, urging the Union Ministry of Education, NCERT, and the CBSE to thoroughly review the policy guidelines before pushing forward with mandatory implementation across affiliated schools.
The apex court made these critical observations while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the board's recent circulars that enforce the revised three-language formula.
Colonial Connotations and Legal Friction
During the hearing, the bench pointed out that labelling English as a non-native language carries heavy colonial baggage and creates unnecessary legal friction. The court observed that English has served as an official language in several Indian states for decades and remains deeply integrated into the country's socio-legal fabric.
Judges noted that if a distinction between domestic and foreign languages is required, terms like "indigenous" should be considered instead. The bench indicated that re-evaluating this classification could resolve many of the core objections raised by educators and parents in the current petitions.
Infrastructure Gaps and Student Hardships
Beyond the linguistic debate, the Supreme Court flagged massive ground-level challenges in executing the policy smoothly. The court asked the CBSE to provide concrete data on school readiness, specifically questioning whether institutions have enough qualified faculty and updated textbooks to teach multiple Indian languages effectively.
Expressing concern over the sudden burden on middle-school students, the bench inquired if a temporary relaxation could be granted to Class 6 students who are caught in the immediate transition. The matter remains pending as the court awaits formal responses from the central authorities and educational boards.
