Supreme Court criticizes CBSE for refusing to exempt sixth graders from trilingual policy

A mother from Cape Town claims that her nine-year-old son, who suffers from asthma, was subjected to bullying and harassment by his teacher after she informed him of alleged actions where third-grade students were forced to sit outside in the cold and wind if they did not complete their homework.

The mother, who requested anonymity, raised this issue with the school administration, where the teacher was also present. According to her, the situation changed after the complaint was filed: the teacher allegedly became angry and began harassing her son.

'Since this incident, he has been harassed and emotionally tormented,' the mother stated. She recounted that the teacher allegedly got upset in front of the entire class and told the students that her son had upset him. Then, her son told her that other students asked him why he had upset the teacher before allegedly ganging up on him.'

'All the children ganged up on him and hit him hard on the head. They also pulled his clothes,' she added. The mother expressed outrage, saying, 'How dare she! This is blatant manipulation, childish behavior, and it is completely unacceptable for a teacher to use third-grade children to attack my son.'

Student transferred to another class amid accusations

She further reported that after exchanging messages, the teacher blocked her and removed her from the class WhatsApp group. She stated that she could no longer tolerate the situation and demanded further investigation. 'I am furious as a mother because my son takes chronic medication and suffers from asthma. The teacher feels the need to torment him like this.'

Although her son was transferred to another class, the mother insists that the alleged behavior of the teacher must be investigated. She threatens to file a criminal complaint.

A representative from the Western Cape Education Department, Brona Hammond, confirmed that the school and district office are aware of these allegations. 'A complaint was received, and the matter was forwarded through the appropriate departmental channels. After engaging with the school and parents, the issue was referred to the Labour Relations Department for investigation,' said Hammond.

She clarified that the case is still under investigation and confirmed the temporary transfer of the student to another class. 'The school and district office continue to monitor the situation and provide necessary support. The Department takes all concerns regarding student well-being seriously, and they will be addressed within the relevant procedures,' she concluded.

The Supreme Court has commenced hearings regarding the CBSE's three-language policy. Specifically, the decision to introduce a third language in Grade 9 starting from the 2026-27 academic year was discussed. The court directed the central government to consider providing assistance to 6th-grade students. The government stated that it would discuss this matter with relevant officials and provide an answer to the court. The next hearing is scheduled for the 17th.

During the hearings, General Counsel Tushar Mehta reported that Ms. Bhati, who was supposed to attend, was absent due to personal reasons. Plaintiffs' representatives, Senior Advocate Gopal S. and Anand Grover, requested a postponement of the case until the following week. They expressed parents' concerns about this issue, as children need to take exams, but clarified that no further requests for suspension would be made.

Justice Bagchi asked the General Counsel to explore the possibility of providing some assistance, at least to 6th-grade students. He noted that these students were promoted in January, so their adaptation should be considered. In response, Anand Grover stated that all students can be adapted.

General Counsel Tushar Mehta assured the court that he would speak with the officials on the same day. He added that all stakeholders would sit together to discuss the issue and subsequently provide information to the court.

The Chief Justice also emphasized that there is no need to postpone the implementation of the third language in Grade 7 until 2028, and this can be implemented. Senior Advocate Gopal S. expressed concern regarding the non-native language. He questioned whether English could be excluded from the list if a non-native language needed to be included. The General Counsel replied that the government has its own view on the English language. The Supreme Court issued a notice regarding a newly filed petition in this case. The next hearing in this matter will take place on the 17th.