The Supreme Court expressed concern over the introduction of a third language in Class 9 under the CBSE curriculum, observing that it could increase the stress levels of students. The Apex Court suggested that the third language be introduced in Class 5 or Class 6 to enable students to cope with it more effectively. A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan orally asked the Centre not to introduce a third language at the Class 9 level.

The observations were made during the hearing of the Tamil Nadu government’s plea against a Madras High Court directive to facilitate the establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in every district of the state. The Tamil Nadu government has consistently opposed the setting up of JNVs over concerns regarding the three-language policy followed by these schools.