Language decorum: On the three-language formula in CBSE schools

School education should not be the site (स्थान, स्थल) of a cultural battle (सांस्कृतिक संघर्ष)

The Supreme Court of India has issued notices to the Union Government, the CBSE, and the NCERT, directing (निर्देश देना, आदेश देना) them to file (प्रस्तुत करना, दाखिल करना) a comprehensive (व्यापक, संपूर्ण) report on their logistical (relating to the organization and planning of a complex operation; organizational, operational, administrative) preparedness (तैयारी, तत्परता) to implement (लागू करना, कार्यान्वित करना) a three-language formula in all CBSE schools for Class 9 students from July 1, 2026. On May 27, while hearing (सुनना, विचार करना) petitioners (याचिकाकर्ता, प्रार्थी) challenging the CBSE move (action, step, measure, decision), the Court declined to grant (प्रदान करना, अनुमति देना) an immediate stay (स्थगन आदेश) on the policy but acknowledged (admit, accept, recognize) that concerns (चिंता, फिक्र) over “hardship (difficulty, suffering, trouble, distress) and inconvenience (trouble, nuisance, bother, difficulty)” warranted (justify, necessitate, call for, require) review (reassessment, re-evaluation, reconsideration, appraisal). The Court will hear arguments on July 15 and 16. The casual manner in which (where, whereby, in the context of) the government is using the CBSE to enforce (implement, impose, apply, execute) its contentious (controversial, debatable, disputed, arguable) language policy once again shows complete disregard (indifference, neglect, lack of concern, negligence) for students, teachers, and parents. On May 15, the CBSE had issued a circular (notice, directive, official letter, notification) mandating the study of three languages for Class 9 students from July 1, citing (refer to, mention, allude to, quote) alignment (agreement, coordination, conformity, synchronization) with the NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023. At least two of the three must be native (indigenous, original, local, vernacular) Indian languages. Foreign languages such as (for example, like, namely, including) French or German could only be taken as a third language if the first two were Indian, or alternatively as an optional fourth subject. In a meagre (inadequate, scanty, insufficient, limited) effort to camouflage (conceal, hide, mask, cover up) the hardship unleashed (release, loose, let loose, inflict) on the students, the CBSE exempted (excuse, free, release, spare) the third language from the Class 10 Board examination, which would instead be assessed (evaluate, judge, measure, gauge) through school-based internal evaluations (assessment, appraisal, review, judgement), though the marks would still appear on the final certificate.

Barely (hardly, scarcely, only just) weeks earlier, the CBSE had stated that the third-language requirement would be deferred (postpone, delay, put off, hold over) until the 2029-30 academic year. The abrupt (sudden, unexpected, hasty, swift) turnabout (a sudden and complete change in policy, opinion, or strategy; U-turn, reversal, flip-flop) can only be explained as a political decision. The move is being challenged (चुनौती देना, प्रश्न उठाना) in the Court on multiple grounds (reason, basis, cause, factor), including constitutional (relating to the constitution; legal, lawful, statutory) ones. The petitioners argue that language is a matter of personal choice (option, alternative, preference, selection) and cannot be imposed (force, thrust, inflict, exact) by the state (government, regime, authorities, establishment). It is also being pointed out that the NEP 2020, in whose name the mandate (order, instruct, require, make mandatory) is being enforced, promises (assure, guarantee, pledge, commit) flexibility and guarantees that no language shall be imposed on any student or State. The petitioners also argue that the CBSE, as an executive body (an administrative branch or agency of the government responsible for putting policies or laws into effect; administrative body, governing body), lacks (be without, be short of, be deficient in, need) the authority (power, right, jurisdiction, control) to impose such a sweeping (comprehensive, all-inclusive, extensive, wide-ranging) educational mandate (instruction, directive, order, decree) without backing (support, endorsement, approval, sanction) from parliamentary legislation (laws passed by a parliament or legislative body; statutory law, legislative act, enactment), regardless of (despite, in spite of, notwithstanding, irrespective of) what the NEP says, being an executive policy intent (the administrative objective, goal, or aim behind a government policy; administrative aim, executive goal) and not a statute (law, act, decree, edict). Parents and teachers are alarmed (worried, concerned, frightened, anxious) about the added (extra, additional, supplemental, further) pressure on students just before their Board examinations. School administrators (manager, director, executive, official) have flagged (indicate, identify, point out, highlight) a shortage (scarcity, deficiency, lack, shortfall) of trained (skilled, qualified, experienced, proficient) language teachers and the unavailability (absence, lack, non-existence, non-availability) of appropriate textbooks. Turning school education into a cultural battleground (a place or sphere where ideological and cultural conflicts occur; arena of conflict, ideological battlefield) is not helping India’s ambition to become a global reservoir (pool, reserve, source, supply) of advanced human resources (workforce, personnel, staff, manpower). The Centre should course-correct (to adjust or modify a plan, policy, or strategy to return to the right path; rectify, amend, remedy, realign) before the Court takes up the case again.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.decorum (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शिष्टाचार, मर्यादा
English Meaning - propriety, decency, correctness, good manners, appropriateness.

2.site (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्थान, स्थल
English Meaning - place, location, arena, ground.

3.cultural battle (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सांस्कृतिक संघर्ष
English Meaning - a conflict or struggle over the values, beliefs, and practices of different cultural groups; culture war, ideological conflict.

4.Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) (organization)

Hindi Meaning - केंद्रीय माध्यमिक शिक्षा बोर्ड
English Meaning - a national-level board of education in India for public and private schools, controlled and managed by the Government of India, responsible for conducting board exams and prescribing curriculum.

5.concern (noun)

Hindi Meaning - चिंता, फिक्र
English Meaning - worry, anxiety, apprehension, unease.

6.direct (verb)

Hindi Meaning - निर्देश देना, आदेश देना
English Meaning - instruct, order, command, require, mandate.

7.file (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रस्तुत करना, दाखिल करना
English Meaning - submit, present, turn in, tender.

8.comprehensive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - व्यापक, संपूर्ण
English Meaning - all-inclusive, complete, thorough, extensive.

9.preparedness (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तैयारी, तत्परता
English Meaning - readiness, state of being ready, preparation, alertness.

10.implement (verb)

Hindi Meaning - लागू करना, कार्यान्वित करना
English Meaning - execute, apply, put into effect, enforce.

11.hear (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सुनना, विचार करना
English Meaning - listen to, consider, adjudicate, try (in a court of law).

12.petitioner (noun)

Hindi Meaning - याचिकाकर्ता, प्रार्थी
English Meaning - appellant, claimant, plaintiff, applicant.

13.challenge (verb)

Hindi Meaning - चुनौती देना, प्रश्न उठाना
English Meaning - question, dispute, object to, disagree with.

14.grant (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रदान करना, अनुमति देना
English Meaning - allow, accord, permit, award.

15.stay (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्थगन आदेश
English Meaning - a legal order to temporarily stop a judicial proceeding or executive action; postponement, suspension, halt.

16.logistical (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the organization and planning of a complex operation; organizational, operational, administrative.

17.acknowledge (verb)

English Meaning - admit, accept, recognize.

18.move (noun)

English Meaning - action, step, measure, decision.

19.National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) (organization)

English Meaning - an autonomous organization of the Government of India that advises the central and state governments on academic matters related to school education, including curriculum framework and textbook publication.

20.hardship (noun)

English Meaning - difficulty, suffering, trouble, distress.

21.inconvenience (noun)

English Meaning - trouble, nuisance, bother, difficulty.

22.warrant (verb)

English Meaning - justify, necessitate, call for, require.

23.review (noun)

English Meaning - reassessment, re-evaluation, reconsideration, appraisal.

24.in which (phrase)

English Meaning - where, whereby, in the context of.

25.enforce (verb)

English Meaning - implement, impose, apply, execute.

26.contentious (adjective)

English Meaning - controversial, debatable, disputed, arguable.

27.disregard (noun)

English Meaning - indifference, neglect, lack of concern, negligence.

28.circular (noun)

English Meaning - notice, directive, official letter, notification.

29.mandate (verb)

English Meaning - order, instruct, require, make mandatory.

30.cite (verb)

English Meaning - refer to, mention, allude to, quote.

31.alignment (noun)

English Meaning - agreement, coordination, conformity, synchronization.

32.National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) (policy)

English Meaning - a comprehensive framework outlining the vision for India’s new education system, aiming to transform elementary to higher education in the country.

33.National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 (framework)

English Meaning - a comprehensive guideline document developed by NCERT that lays down the syllabus, textbooks, and teaching practices for schools in India in alignment with the NEP 2020.

34.native (adjective)

English Meaning - indigenous, original, local, vernacular.

35.such as (phrase)

English Meaning - for example, like, namely, including.

36.meagre (adjective)

English Meaning - inadequate, scanty, insufficient, limited.

37.camouflage (verb)

English Meaning - conceal, hide, mask, cover up.

38.unleash (verb)

English Meaning - release, loose, let loose, inflict.

39.exempt (verb)

English Meaning - excuse, free, release, spare.

40.assess (verb)

English Meaning - evaluate, judge, measure, gauge.

41.evaluation (noun)

English Meaning - assessment, appraisal, review, judgement.

42.barely (adverb)

English Meaning - hardly, scarcely, only just.

43.defer (verb)

English Meaning - postpone, delay, put off, hold over.

44.abrupt (adjective)

English Meaning - sudden, unexpected, hasty, swift.

45.turnabout (noun)

English Meaning - a sudden and complete change in policy, opinion, or strategy; U-turn, reversal, flip-flop.

46.ground (noun)

English Meaning - reason, basis, cause, factor.

47.constitutional (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the constitution; legal, lawful, statutory.

48.choice (noun)

English Meaning - option, alternative, preference, selection.

49.impose (verb)

English Meaning - force, thrust, inflict, exact.

50.the state (noun)

English Meaning - government, regime, authorities, establishment.

51.point out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - indicate, specify, mention, draw attention to.

52.mandate (noun)

English Meaning - instruction, directive, order, decree.

53.promise (verb)

English Meaning - assure, guarantee, pledge, commit.

54.executive body (noun)

English Meaning - an administrative branch or agency of the government responsible for putting policies or laws into effect; administrative body, governing body.

55.lack (verb)

English Meaning - be without, be short of, be deficient in, need.

56.authority (noun)

English Meaning - power, right, jurisdiction, control.

57.sweeping (adjective)

English Meaning - comprehensive, all-inclusive, extensive, wide-ranging.

58.educational mandate (noun)

English Meaning - an authoritative command or instruction specifically concerning educational policies or practices; academic directive, educational requirement.

59.backing (noun)

English Meaning - support, endorsement, approval, sanction.

60.parliamentary legislation (noun)

English Meaning - laws passed by a parliament or legislative body; statutory law, legislative act, enactment.

61.regardless of (phrase)

English Meaning - despite, in spite of, notwithstanding, irrespective of.

62.executive policy intent (noun)

English Meaning - the administrative objective, goal, or aim behind a government policy; administrative aim, executive goal.

63.statute (noun)

English Meaning - law, act, decree, edict.

64.alarmed (adjective)

English Meaning - worried, concerned, frightened, anxious.