CBSE mandates change in primary language at foundational level

This change brings CBSE institutions in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises learning in the home language for better cognitive and emotional development in early childhood

MUMBAI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a directive that will reshape language instruction at the foundational level in affiliated schools across the country. CBSE schools will now use the “mother tongue” or state language as the primary language, or medium of instruction, from kindergarten up to Class 2. This is in line with the new guidelines of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023.

CBSE schools will now use the “mother tongue” or state language as the primary language, or medium of instruction, from kindergarten up to Class 2. Representative photo of CBSE students. (HT Archives) (Hindustan Times)

According to a circular dated May 22, 2025, the primary language of learning should be the one that is most familiar to the child, preferably the “mother tongue”. Where that isn’t possible, the state language must be used. This language will serve as the medium of instruction for all subjects at the foundational stage, until the child gains basic literacy in another language.

In Maharashtra, until now, most CBSE schools had adopted English as the medium of instruction, and were teaching Hindi as the second language. From the 2025-26 academic year, however, the state language, or Marathi, would be the primary language, with either English or Hindi as the second language offering.

This change brings CBSE institutions in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises learning in the home language for better cognitive and emotional development in early childhood.

The May 22 circular also stated that to implement this transition, schools must set up a dedicated committee by the end of May 2025. This committee will assess the linguistic background of students, make necessary curriculum adjustments, and guide the selection of appropriate learning materials. Teachers must also complete special training in multilingual education by the end of July.

The circular also clarified that at the foundational level (children aged between 3 and 8), the goal is to develop basic literacy and fluency in their home language. Students should be able to read and write simple sentences, express their experiences, and understand what they read. Alongside this, a second familiar spoken language will be introduced gradually.

Explaining the circular, Rajiv Kumar Garg, city coordinator of CBSE, said, “In a city like Mumbai, a cosmopolitan city, we have to take liberty of the Hindi language along with the state language.” He said that currently from Class 1, schools have three language teachings, which will now be from the pre-primary section. “Now till Class 2, schools will teach the state language and English, and from Class 3 onwards, students will have to choose a third language,” Garg added.

Kalpana Dwivedi, principal of Bal Bharati Public School, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, said, “We began introducing the mother tongue as a medium of instruction from the 2024–25 academic year, soon after the NCF 2023 was announced. In a diverse city like Mumbai, we remain flexible, offering Hindi or Marathi, based on what suits the students and their families best. As per the new CBSE guidelines, we will continue to train our teachers regularly to ensure smooth implementation.”

The CBSE also stated that schools are encouraged to use resources like the NCERT’s ‘Jadui Pitara’ (a box of fun, story-based teaching materials) and digital textbooks in multiple languages. The learning approach will be play-based and activity-oriented, especially at the pre-primary level.

According to the circular, implementation will begin in July 2025. Monthly progress reports will be required starting July, and schools may be visited by academic observers to ensure smooth implementation.