Two or three?: On the Court, students, three-language policy

Students must be free (स्वतंत्र, बिना प्रतिबंध) to choose a third language that is not tested in a Board exam

The Supreme Court, through (के माध्यम से, के जरिए) its frequent (बार-बार होने वाला, लगातार होने वाला) interventions (हस्तक्षेप, दखल), is pointing to the various aspects (पहलू, पक्ष) of the three-language policy (त्रिभाषा नीति) that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) (केंद्रीय माध्यमिक शिक्षा बोर्ड) does not seem (प्रतीत होना, लगना) to have thought through. Regardless of (परवाह किए बिना) its eventual (अंतिम, अंततः होने वाला) judgment, the Court’s intent (इरादा, उद्देश्य) at this stage (इस चरण में, फिलहाल) seems to be to point to (संकेत करना, ध्यान दिलाना) the pitfalls (a hidden or unsuspected danger or difficulty; hazard, risk, peril, drawback) of the policy and at least (anyway, anyhow, in any case, if nothing else) soften (नरम करना, कम करना) the rough edges (a harsh, problematic, or unrefined aspect of a plan or policy; flaw, imperfection, shortcoming, defect). In its latest ruling (verdict, judgment, resolution, decision, decree), the Court has said that current (ongoing, present, contemporary, existing) Class 6 students should be given the same relief (respite, mitigation, ease, comfort) as students in Classes 7, 8 and 9, whose final Class 10 examination will only be an internal assessment (an evaluation of a student’s performance conducted by their own teachers within the school rather than by an external board; school-based evaluation, continuous assessment), not a Board examination (public examination). The Court is seeking (to attempt to find, achieve, or obtain something; try, attempt, aim, strive) to lessen (diminish, reduce, decrease, ease) the load (a heavy responsibility; burden, weight, pressure, strain) on the students, at least until (till, up to, pending, prior to) schools are fully prepared. It had earlier asked if the policy could start from 2027, not 2026. The CBSE has stubbornly (in a manner that shows a dogged determination not to change one’s position; obstinately, resolutely, unyieldingly, persistently) resisted compromise (an agreement reached by each side making concessions or adjustments; settlement, understanding, middle ground, trade-off) at various stages in the hearing (proceeding, session, inquiry, trial). Earlier, the Court had intervened (to take part in something so as to prevent or alter a result; step in, intercede, mediate, arbitrate) to point out (highlight, indicate, mention, specify) that suddenly (quickly, unexpectedly, or without warning; abruptly, instantaneously, swiftly, unpredictably) learning a new language in Class 9 would be too disruptive (disturbing, unsettling, chaotic, troublesome) if the students had not studied a second “Indian” language until Class 8. The Court had also mooted (to raise a question or topic for discussion or consideration; propose, suggest, bring up, advance) careful consideration (careful thought, typically over a period of time; deliberation, reflection, contemplation, examination) of treating (consider, view, perceive, regard) English as indigenous (originating or occurring naturally in a particular place or country; native, local, domestic, original), putting its categorisation (classification, grouping) as a foreign language under question.

English is a de facto (existing in fact, whether recognized legally or not; actual, real, effective, existing) Indian language. It has been in use (being used actively; operational, utilized, employed, functioning) in India for at least 300 years and is the leading (most important, significant, or prominent; principal, primary, foremost, dominant) language of education, courts, and professions (career, occupation, vocation, calling) widely (extensively, broadly, commonly, universally) practised (to carry out or perform a particular activity or profession; engage in, pursue, undertake, perform) by Indians; it also serves as (to fulfill a specific role, function, or purpose; act as, function as, work as, operate as) the preferred (favored, selected, desired, chosen) link language (a language used for communication between groups of people who speak different native languages; lingua franca, common language, bridge language) for many. English knowledge has consistently (continually, continuously, regularly, steadily) given Indians an edge (a favorable position or advantage over others; advantage, superiority, lead, dominance) in employment in global industries such as (used to introduce examples; like, for instance, namely, to illustrate) the IT sector. Indians will want English to remain one of their unique (distinctive, distinct, exceptional, special) selling points (a feature of something that makes it attractive to people or gives it a competitive advantage; advantage, asset, benefit, attraction) as the government looks to jobs in global industries as a pathway (route, avenue, channel, trajectory) to prosperity (the state of being successful, flourishing, or wealthy; wealth, success, affluence, well-being). The National Education Policy 2020 (a comprehensive education policy of the Government of India, approved by the Union Cabinet on 29 July 2020, aimed at reforming and revamping all aspects of India’s education system; it replaces the National Policy on Education, 1986 and introduces a new 5+3+3+4 curricular and pedagogical structure covering education from age 3 through the secondary stage, replacing the earlier 10+2 school structure; it aspires to establish by 2040 an education system that is equitable, high-quality, and “second to none”), though advocating (champion, support, promote, recommend) for two Indian languages, also mentions (to refer to something briefly without going into detail; state, note, observe, remark) the importance of learning foreign languages to facilitate (to make something easier or smoother; enable, assist, expedite, smooth the progress of) the global mobility (the ability to move freely, especially for employment or social advancement; adaptability, flexibility, movement, maneuverability) of Indians seeking employment. The Hindu’s reportage (the reporting of news or events by the media; journalism, reporting, press coverage, news coverage) has shown that since English is the language of instruction (the language primarily used by teachers to educate students in a school or institution; medium of instruction, teaching language, classroom language) in other subjects, it will become the only so-called (supposed, alleged, presumed, ostensible) foreign language students will take in CBSE schools. Many schools will stick to (adhere to, cling to, hold to, stand by) Sanskrit as the second Indian language all the way (completely or continuously to a specific point or conclusion; totally, entirely, fully, completely) up to (until, till, as far as, extending to) Class 10 while Hindi would be the first. Some schools, especially in the southern States, will continue with the regional language such as Tamil or Kannada as the other Indian language. The practical (realistic, pragmatic, workable, sensible) consequence (result, outcome, effect, repercussion) of the current policy is removing Spanish, French and other foreign languages from schools. But any purported (alleged, supposed, claimed, ostensible) intent of promoting cross-regional (relating to, involving, or extending across multiple different regions; inter-regional, trans-regional, pan-regional, multi-regional) language learning may just not be served (to fulfill a purpose, intent, or role; fulfill, achieve, realize, accomplish) though (despite the fact that; although, even though, in spite of the fact that, notwithstanding that) the Court has found merit (the quality of being particularly good, worthy, or useful; value, worth, excellence, benefit) in learning more Indian languages as a way (method, means, approach, strategy) of strengthening (reinforce, fortify, bolster, consolidate) the federal structure (a system of government in which power is shared between a central authority and constituent units or states; federalism, federal system, decentralized governance,). A strenuous (requiring or using great effort, energy, or exertion; arduous, difficult, hard, demanding) learning of an additional Indian language serves little practical purpose (useful objective, pragmatic aim, functional intent, realistic goal) though it may cater to (to try to satisfy a specific need, demand, or desire; serve, provide for, meet the needs of, accommodate) the atavistic (showing behaviour or qualities that seem to belong to an earlier, more ancient time; primitive, old-fashioned, backward, ancestral, regressive, ancient) impulses (a sudden, strong, and unreflective urge or desire to act; urge, instinct, drive, compulsion) of some. The two-language policy (an educational policy or approach under which students are required to study two languages rather than three, usually comprising a regional or mother tongue and English; Tamil Nadu, for example, follows a two-language policy of Tamil and English; two-language formula, bilingual education policy, dual-language approach, two-language system) — English and mother tongue (the language which a person has grown up speaking from early childhood; native language, first language, indigenous language, local language) — would be best for India. Students can be tested (evaluate, assess, examine, appraise) on a third language of their choice through internal assessment, not through a Board examination.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.three-language policy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - त्रिभाषा नीति
English Meaning - an educational framework in India rooted in the Three-Language Formula introduced in 1968 to promote multilingualism and national integration; retained with greater structural flexibility under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which provides that no language shall be imposed on any State and that at least two of the three languages studied must be native to India; effective from the 2026–27 academic session, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) issued implementation guidelines classifying language choices under an R1, R2, and R3 framework, with transitional provisions for different student batches.

2.free (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्वतंत्र, बिना प्रतिबंध
English Meaning - able to act or choose without restriction; unrestricted, unhindered, unimpeded, unrestrained.

3.through (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के माध्यम से, के जरिए
English Meaning - by means of a particular process or action; via, using, by way of, by virtue of.

4.frequent (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बार-बार होने वाला, लगातार होने वाला
English Meaning - regular, repeated, recurring.

5.intervention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हस्तक्षेप, दखल
English Meaning - involvement, intercession, interference, mediation.

6.point to (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - संकेत करना, ध्यान दिलाना
English Meaning - to mention or draw attention to something; indicate, suggest, signify, denote.

7.aspect (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पहलू, पक्ष
English Meaning - facet, feature, characteristic, detail.

8.Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - केंद्रीय माध्यमिक शिक्षा बोर्ड
English Meaning - an autonomous national board of school education under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, whose institutional history dates to 1929; it was given its present name in 1952 and reconstituted in 1962, and affiliates schools in India and abroad for school education and examinations.

9.seem (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतीत होना, लगना
English Meaning - appear, look, show signs of, give the impression of.

10.think through (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - पूरी तरह विचार करना
English Meaning - to consider all the possible effects or implications of something fully; deliberate, evaluate, ponder, weigh up.

11.regardless of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - परवाह किए बिना
English Meaning - notwithstanding, despite, in spite of, irrespective of.

12.eventual (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अंतिम, अंततः होने वाला
English Meaning - final, ultimate, concluding, subsequent.

13.intent (noun)

Hindi Meaning - इरादा, उद्देश्य
English Meaning - a clear intention or purpose; aim, goal, objective, target.

14.at this stage (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - इस चरण में, फिलहाल
English Meaning - presently, currently, for the time being, at present.

15.soften (verb)

Hindi Meaning - नरम करना, कम करना
English Meaning - moderate, temper, mitigate, alleviate.

16.rough edge (noun)

English Meaning - a harsh, problematic, or unrefined aspect of a plan or policy; flaw, imperfection, shortcoming, defect.

17.pitfall (noun)

English Meaning - a hidden or unsuspected danger or difficulty; hazard, risk, peril, drawback.

18.at least (phrase)

English Meaning - anyway, anyhow, in any case, if nothing else.

19.Board examination (noun)

English Meaning - public examination.

20.Board examination (noun)

English Meaning - a public examination conducted by an authorised educational board, usually at the end of a major school stage such as Class 10 or Class 12; public examination, board exam, final school examination, external examination. Examples: CBSE Class X and Class XII Board Examinations; ICSE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII) examinations conducted by CISCE; State Board Class 10 and Class 12 public examinations, such as Tamil Nadu’s SSLC and Higher Secondary Second Year examinations.

21.ruling (noun)

English Meaning - verdict, judgment, resolution, decision, decree.

22.current (adjective)

English Meaning - ongoing, present, contemporary, existing.

23.relief (noun)

English Meaning - respite, mitigation, ease, comfort.

24.internal assessment (noun)

English Meaning - an evaluation of a student’s performance conducted by their own teachers within the school rather than by an external board; school-based evaluation, continuous assessment.

25.seek (verb)

English Meaning - to attempt to find, achieve, or obtain something; try, attempt, aim, strive.

26.lessen (verb)

English Meaning - diminish, reduce, decrease, ease.

27.load (noun)

English Meaning - a heavy responsibility; burden, weight, pressure, strain.

28.until (preposition)

English Meaning - till, up to, pending, prior to.

29.stubbornly (adverb)

English Meaning - in a manner that shows a dogged determination not to change one’s position; obstinately, resolutely, unyieldingly, persistently.

30.compromise (noun)

English Meaning - an agreement reached by each side making concessions or adjustments; settlement, understanding, middle ground, trade-off.

31.hearing (noun)

English Meaning - proceeding, session, inquiry, trial.

32.intervene (verb)

English Meaning - to take part in something so as to prevent or alter a result; step in, intercede, mediate, arbitrate.

33.point out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - highlight, indicate, mention, specify.

34.suddenly (adverb)

English Meaning - quickly, unexpectedly, or without warning; abruptly, instantaneously, swiftly, unpredictably.

35.disruptive (adjective)

English Meaning - disturbing, unsettling, chaotic, troublesome.

36.moot (verb)

English Meaning - to raise a question or topic for discussion or consideration; propose, suggest, bring up, advance.

37.consideration (noun)

English Meaning - careful thought, typically over a period of time; deliberation, reflection, contemplation, examination.

38.treat (verb)

English Meaning - consider, view, perceive, regard.

39.indigenous (adjective)

English Meaning - originating or occurring naturally in a particular place or country; native, local, domestic, original.

40.put something under question (phrase)

English Meaning - cause something to be doubted or questioned regarding its validity, effectiveness, or credibility; call into question, cast doubt on, question, challenge.

41.categorisation (noun)

English Meaning - classification, grouping.

42.de facto (adjective)

English Meaning - existing in fact, whether recognized legally or not; actual, real, effective, existing.

43.in use (phrase)

English Meaning - being used actively; operational, utilized, employed, functioning.

44.leading (adjective)

English Meaning - most important, significant, or prominent; principal, primary, foremost, dominant.

45.profession (noun)

English Meaning - career, occupation, vocation, calling.

46.widely (adverb)

English Meaning - extensively, broadly, commonly, universally.

47.practise (verb)

English Meaning - to carry out or perform a particular activity or profession; engage in, pursue, undertake, perform.

48.serve as (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to fulfill a specific role, function, or purpose; act as, function as, work as, operate as.

49.preferred (adjective)

English Meaning - favored, selected, desired, chosen.

50.link language (noun)

English Meaning - a language used for communication between groups of people who speak different native languages; lingua franca, common language, bridge language.

51.consistently (adverb)

English Meaning - continually, continuously, regularly, steadily.

52.edge (noun)

English Meaning - a favorable position or advantage over others; advantage, superiority, lead, dominance.

53.such as (phrase)

English Meaning - used to introduce examples; like, for instance, namely, to illustrate.

54.unique (adjective)

English Meaning - distinctive, distinct, exceptional, special.

55.selling point (noun)

English Meaning - a feature of something that makes it attractive to people or gives it a competitive advantage; advantage, asset, benefit, attraction.

56.pathway (noun)

English Meaning - route, avenue, channel, trajectory.

57.prosperity (noun)

English Meaning - the state of being successful, flourishing, or wealthy; wealth, success, affluence, well-being.

58.National Education Policy 2020 (noun)

English Meaning - a comprehensive education policy of the Government of India, approved by the Union Cabinet on 29 July 2020, aimed at reforming and revamping all aspects of India’s education system; it replaces the National Policy on Education, 1986 and introduces a new 5+3+3+4 curricular and pedagogical structure covering education from age 3 through the secondary stage, replacing the earlier 10+2 school structure; it aspires to establish by 2040 an education system that is equitable, high-quality, and “second to none.”

59.advocate (verb)

English Meaning - champion, support, promote, recommend.

60.mention (verb)

English Meaning - to refer to something briefly without going into detail; state, note, observe, remark.

61.facilitate (verb)

English Meaning - to make something easier or smoother; enable, assist, expedite, smooth the progress of.

62.mobility (noun)

English Meaning - the ability to move freely, especially for employment or social advancement; adaptability, flexibility, movement, maneuverability.

63.reportage (noun)

English Meaning - the reporting of news or events by the media; journalism, reporting, press coverage, news coverage.

64.language of instruction (noun)

English Meaning - the language primarily used by teachers to educate students in a school or institution; medium of instruction, teaching language, classroom language.

65.so-called (adjective)

English Meaning - supposed, alleged, presumed, ostensible.

66.stick to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - adhere to, cling to, hold to, stand by.

67.all the way (phrase)

English Meaning - completely or continuously to a specific point or conclusion; totally, entirely, fully, completely.

68.up to (preposition)

English Meaning - until, till, as far as, extending to.

69.practical (adjective)

English Meaning - realistic, pragmatic, workable, sensible.

70.consequence (noun)

English Meaning - result, outcome, effect, repercussion.

71.purported (adjective)

English Meaning - alleged, supposed, claimed, ostensible.

72.promote (verb)

English Meaning - encourage, advance, further, foster.

73.cross-regional (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to, involving, or extending across multiple different regions; inter-regional, trans-regional, pan-regional, multi-regional.

74.serve (verb)

English Meaning - to fulfill a purpose, intent, or role; fulfill, achieve, realize, accomplish.

75.though (conjunction)

English Meaning - despite the fact that; although, even though, in spite of the fact that, notwithstanding that.

76.merit (noun)

English Meaning - the quality of being particularly good, worthy, or useful; value, worth, excellence, benefit.

77.way (noun)

English Meaning - method, means, approach, strategy.

78.strengthen (verb)

English Meaning - reinforce, fortify, bolster, consolidate.

79.federal structure (noun)

English Meaning - a system of government in which power is shared between a central authority and constituent units or states; federalism, federal system, decentralized governance,.

80.strenuous (adjective)

English Meaning - requiring or using great effort, energy, or exertion; arduous, difficult, hard, demanding.

81.practical purpose (noun)

English Meaning - useful objective, pragmatic aim, functional intent, realistic goal.

82.cater to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to try to satisfy a specific need, demand, or desire; serve, provide for, meet the needs of, accommodate.

83.atavistic (adjective)

English Meaning - showing behaviour or qualities that seem to belong to an earlier, more ancient time; primitive, old-fashioned, backward, ancestral, regressive, ancient.

84.impulse (noun)

English Meaning - a sudden, strong, and unreflective urge or desire to act; urge, instinct, drive, compulsion.

85.two-language policy (noun)

English Meaning - an educational policy or approach under which students are required to study two languages rather than three, usually comprising a regional or mother tongue and English; Tamil Nadu, for example, follows a two-language policy of Tamil and English; two-language formula, bilingual education policy, dual-language approach, two-language system.

86.mother tongue (noun)

English Meaning - the language which a person has grown up speaking from early childhood; native language, first language, indigenous language, local language.

87.test (verb)

English Meaning - evaluate, assess, examine, appraise.

88.of one’s choice (phrase)

English Meaning - chosen according to someone’s own preference; preferred, selected, favored, chosen.