Pralhad Joshi reviews CBSE reforms, OSM row, 3-language policy at high-level meeting

Context and Meeting

Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi held a high-level meeting on August 24 with senior officials of the Department of School Education and Literacy to review key developments concerning the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). According to a post Joshi shared on social media platform X, the discussions centered on strengthening CBSE’s academic, examination, and administrative processes, with an emphasis on efficiency, transparency, and improved support for students and teachers.

The meeting takes place amid broader scrutiny of the board over several issues, including its new On-Screen Marking (OSM) system and the implementation of the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. As reported by India Today and The Times of India, the review has been framed as part of ongoing efforts to modernize CBSE operations, though India Today notes that no major new decision was announced immediately after the meeting.

On-Screen Marking and Supreme Court Scrutiny

A key point of discussion was CBSE’s newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which was adopted for the evaluation of Class XII answer books in the 2026 examinations. According to India Today, the board introduced this digital evaluation method for Class XII, while Class X evaluation remained in physical mode.

The issue has reached the Supreme Court. On August 21, the court sought responses from the Centre and CBSE on grievances related to the OSM process, including complaints from students who were unable to use the one-week grievance window, as noted by India Today. The meeting’s focus on the examination system and technology use in evaluation, highlighted by The Times of India, appears to respond to these judicial and administrative concerns.

Three-Language Policy and Judicial Commentary

The meeting also centered on the CBSE’s three-language policy, slated for rollout from the 2026-27 academic session. Under the revised framework, students will be required to study three languages, with at least two being Indian languages. As per India Today, CBSE has issued detailed guidelines and clarified transitional provisions, including exemptions for the existing Class 10 batch and flexibilities for students studying foreign languages.

The policy has been challenged in the Supreme Court. Citing ANI’s account, the bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, heard pleas on August 20 questioning the policy’s implementation. Petitioners raised concerns about the availability of textbooks and qualified teachers, the potential burden on students, and the interpretation of the language requirement across schools.

Senior advocate Anand Grover reportedly asked how students could be expected to learn a new language without basic material. In response, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the CBSE and the Centre, said the scheme would involve internal assessment and that Class 9 students would not be held back for failing to qualify in the additional languages. Bhati also submitted that 99.19 per cent of CBSE schools were already compliant with the requirement to teach two Indian languages, with around 235 schools remaining non-compliant.

The bench clarified that students already studying foreign languages such as French would not be forced to discontinue them. CJI Surya Kant stated that there was “no question of boycotting languages taught earlier.” The Supreme Court said the policy would be examined from both constitutional and practical perspectives, including language classification, teacher availability, textbooks, and student burden. According to India Today, the court has also asked the CBSE, Centre, and NCERT to reconsider aspects of the policy’s implementation and explore whether relief could be given to Class 6 students.

Broader Examination Reforms

Beyond the immediate CBSE issues, the meeting serves as part of a larger administrative overhaul. Background India Today’s report placed the ministerial meeting within a wider effort to review the National Testing Agency (NTA) after the UGC-NET June 2026 re-examination. The Education Ministry is seeking a comprehensive overhaul of NTA’s confidential operations and is bringing in domain specialists in cybersecurity, psychometrics, and question-paper design. The UGC-NET re-examination for English and Commerce papers is scheduled for September 9 and for Sociology on September 10, with no additional fees for impacted candidates.

The meeting as therefore positioned within an overarching strategy to strengthen the country’s school and higher-evaluation systems, as reported by The Times of India, which noted the review also looks at greater use of technology and ensuring such systems work smoothly without added stress on students and teachers.

Conclusion

While the August 24 meeting did not produce immediate new policy declarations, it captured a moment when the Center is wrestling with both legal challenges and technological shifts in school-level testing. The Supreme Court’s active scrutiny of the three-language policy and OSM indicate that further adjustments are likely as the government works to align CBSE’s practices with constitutional and practical realities.