The Supreme Court has directed the CBSE to extend to Class 6 students the same third-language relaxation already given to Classes 7, 8 and 9.A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana passed the order on September 28. Students keep studying the third language but face no mandatory Class 10 Board exam in it.Under the transitional arrangement, there will be no pass or fail in the subject. Only an appearance certificate will be issued, and final promotion or certification cannot be stalled because of it.The Centre had opposed the extension. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that of 28,819 CBSE schools, only about 1.2 per cent were still putting facilities in place.The court pointed to logistical difficulties and backed a soft launch for Class 6. It also said it would intervene if any school tried to hold back a student over the third-language internal assessment.The dispute arose from a CBSE circular of May 15, 2026, aligning the scheme of studies with the National Education Policy 2020. Parents and teachers had challenged the sudden mandate in a batch of petitions.