KVS mandates at least one Sanskrit section in Classes 6 and 9 under new language framework

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has directed all its schools to maintain at least one Sanskrit section each in Classes 6 and 9 as part of the implementation of the third-language framework for the 2026-27 academic year.

In a circular issued, KVS said schools should have completed the process of collecting language preferences from students and parents under the third-language framework, referred to as R3.

Under the policy, students are required to choose either Sanskrit or a regional/state language from the list of scheduled languages as their third language. The selected language must be different from R1 (Hindi) and R2 (English).

“Students can opt for either Sanskrit or the regional language based on their preference. The requirement is only that there should be at least one Sanskrit section in every school to facilitate the children of transferable employees,” a senior official said.

KVS has also asked schools to submit data on students' third-language choices through the Samagam portal. The information will be used to reassess staffing requirements at the school level.

According to the circular, schools must separately report data for Sanskrit and regional-language sections in Classes 6 and 9 based on students' language selections.

“Students opting for the same R3 language must be kept in same section for the smooth conduct of classes,” the circular said.

The guidelines outline how language sections should be organized depending on enrollment. In schools with only one section, separate Sanskrit and regional-language groups may be formed if each has at least 15 students.

Schools with two sections may maintain one Sanskrit section and one regional-language section, while principals in schools with three sections may determine the distribution based on student preferences.

However, KVS clarified that every school must maintain at least one Sanskrit section in each of the two classes.

The move comes amid broader efforts to implement the language provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Last month, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced that Class 9 students would be required to study three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, from July 1.

The revised language framework aligns the CBSE Scheme of Studies with NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.

Under CBSE's guidelines, students may study a foreign language only as a third language after learning two Indian languages or as an additional fourth language.

The board has also said there will be no Class 10 board examination for the third language to reduce academic pressure on students.

Until dedicated R3 textbooks are introduced, Class 9 students will use the Class 8 R3 textbooks for the 2026-27 academic session.