CBSE makes a third Indian language compulsory in Class 6, from 2026-27
CBSE Circular Acad-17 dated April 9 mandates an Indian R3 language in Class 6 from this session. Sanskrit, Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali or Marathi. Schools have seven days to update OASIS.
On the morning of April 9, principals of every CBSE-affiliated school opened OASIS to find a one-page circular waiting — Acad-17/2026, signed by the Director (Academics). Effective immediately, every Class 6 section in every CBSE school must offer a third Indian language. The seven-day compliance clock had already started ticking. For 28,000-plus CBSE schools — many of whom had quietly run French or German as the third language for two decades — the choice now narrowed to six Indian options.
What the circular actually says
The circular drops the option for foreign-language R3 in Class 6 from session 2026-27. Schools must pick from Sanskrit, Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali or Marathi — all six listed in the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023. Compliance is two-step: each school finalises its R3 choice with its CBSE Regional Office, then updates the same in OASIS within seven days. Schools running subject offerings will need to add the new R3 row before the May timetable lock; those still using board subject codes for foreign languages must also retire the unused codes.
What this changes for your school
If your Class 6 currently runs French or German as R3, you have three weeks before the May timetable freeze to assign teaching staff for the new Indian R3, secure NCERT-mapped textbooks, and brief parents — many of whom chose your school for its foreign-language offering. The circular allows schools to start with locally available books while waiting for the official NCERT R3 textbook. Your academics module records will need a new subject code for every Class 6 section, and your timetable conflicts will need to clear before the OASIS deadline.
What to watch next
R3 in Classes 9 and 10 follows the same rule from 2027-28, per the broader Scheme of Studies 2026-27. Schools that lock in a strong Indian R3 choice now will not have to retrain a separate set of teachers two years later. CBSE Regional Offices are processing R3 declarations through April end.
Source: Free Press Journal. Original notice: CBSE Circular Acad-17/2026.
Frequently asked
3 questionsCan our school continue offering French or German as R3 in Class 6?
No, not from session 2026-27 onwards. CBSE Circular Acad-17/2026 explicitly limits R3 to six Indian languages — Sanskrit, Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali or Marathi — for Class 6. Schools may continue offering French and German as additional languages alongside, but they cannot be counted as R3 in the Scheme of Studies.
What if our school does not have a teacher for the chosen R3 yet?
The circular acknowledges this and permits schools to start teaching R3 from Class 6 immediately using locally available books and materials. Schools may also pool teachers across nearby CBSE schools or recruit a part-time language teacher. The official NCERT R3 textbook will follow within the session, so the gap is short.
How do schools update OASIS with their R3 choice?
The school principal logs into the OASIS portal using existing CBSE affiliation credentials, navigates to the Scheme of Studies section, and selects the chosen R3 language for Class 6 from the dropdown. The selection must match the choice declared to the Regional Office in writing. The seven-day deadline runs from April 9 for schools that received early notice and from receipt of the circular for the rest.
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