The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in an updated circular on the third language (R3), has clarified that while the current batch of Class X students will not be required to take a third-language board examination, they must clear the school-based assessment in R3 to be awarded a pass certificate.Students who are unable to qualify in R3 in Class X will be reassessed by the school concerned before the declaration of the Class X results.Under the revised norms, every student in Class IX will study three languages, of which at least two must be Indian languages. The third language will be assessed through an internal school-based assessment. However, if a student from the 2026-27 Class IX batch fails to qualify in the R3 assessment, the student will still be promoted to Class X, subject to clearing the assessment while studying in Class X. There will be no CBSE board examination for R3 when this batch reaches Class X in 2027-28.For the current batches of Classes VII and VIII, students who have already opted for and begun studying two non-native languages will be required to study one Indian language and continue with the same until Class X. “There will be no CBSE Board examination for the third language when these batches progress to Class X,” CBSE said.Students in the current Class VI batch must opt for two Indian languages. When this batch, and subsequent Class VI batches, reach Class X, they will be required to take the board examination in R3. CBSE said textbooks for Class VI in all 22 scheduled Indian languages are available.In cases where parents migrate to another state, students may continue with the language combination chosen as R3 during the middle stage and continue it in Class IX. Schools have been directed to provide adequate resources to support such students.