Can’t English be considered an Indian language, asks top court
The Supreme Court questioned the CBSE’s use of the term “non-native” for English in its three-language scheme for Classes 5 and 6.
- The Supreme Court issued notice on the challenge to the CBSE language policy and fixed the next hearing for July 22.
- The Central Board of Secondary Education used the term “non-native” for English in its three-language scheme.
- NCERT said it had begun preparing and disseminating textbooks in all 22 Scheduled languages.
- The petitioners argued that the language policy is premature because schools lack textbooks and teachers.
The Supreme Court has questioned the Central Board of Secondary Education's use of the term “non-native” for English in its three-language scheme for Classes 5 and 6. The court asked whether English, given its long use in India and official status in several States, could be treated as an Indian or indigenous language.
The case is significant for school education policy because it combines language rights, curriculum design, and administrative feasibility. The matter also has UPSC relevance because language policy often raises questions of federalism, cultural identity, educational equity, and implementation capacity.
What happened in court
UPSC can frame the CBSE three-language scheme dispute around multilingual education, practical implementation capacity, and the place of English in Indian public life. The case also links judicial scrutiny, school education policy, and cooperative federalism in language teaching.
