CBSE’s new three-language mandate for Class 9, introduced under NEP 2020, has sparked widespread backlash from parents, students, educators, and school bodies across India. The policy requires students to study three languages, including at least two Indian languages, from July 2026, though no board exam will be held for the third language in Class 10. Critics call the move rushed and burdensome, citing academic overload, disrupted foreign language learning, and poor implementation planning.