Kendriya Vidyalayas to Run at Least One Sanskrit Batch in Classes 6 and 9

The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathana (KVS), an autonomous body under the Union Education Ministry that runs the Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) school network, has directed that every KV must run a minimum of one dedicated section of students studying Sanskrit as a third language in Classes 6 and 9. The instruction comes through a circular for the 2026-27 academic year and applies to all KVs in India and the few that operate abroad. There are over 1,300 functional KVs, including a handful located internationally.

The rule fits within the three-language framework that KVs already follow, where Hindi is the first language and English the second. The third language, often referred to as R3, must be different from these two. Under the new instruction, students choose between Sanskrit and a scheduled regional or state language as their third language, but each school must keep at least one Sanskrit section running in the relevant classes. KVS said keeping Sanskrit as a common option helps students who transfer frequently between schools across the country, since they can continue the same third language wherever they move, while regional-language options remain available for others.

Schools have some flexibility in how they form sections based on student numbers. A single section may mix students choosing Sanskrit and a regional language where the count is small, or schools may run separate sections, but at least one Sanskrit section in each of the two classes is mandatory. KVS acknowledged that some schools face practical challenges such as a shortage of teachers and limited resources, and said these could be eased through contractual teachers for regional languages, a phased roll-out, and use of available study materials.

Why does this matter? The move is part of how the three-language formula, a long-standing feature of Indian school education policy, is being implemented in the central school system. It touches on questions of language choice, the place of classical languages, and how a transferable workforce's children maintain continuity in schooling. For India, it reflects the ongoing effort to standardise language options across a national school network while keeping room for regional languages.

For exams, this is a compact example under education policy and the three-language formula. Aspirants can use it to discuss the structure of the three-language framework, the difference between first, second, and third languages, and how central institutions implement national education policy across a large school network.