Flutter over grading third language

The Karnataka government’s decision not to award marks for third language subjects, and instead give grades in the State Board class 10 (SSLC) exams, was announced midway through the examination process, taking all by surprise. It is seen politically as an “anti-Hindi move”, but otherwise argued to be aimed at easing academic pressure on students.

While many have criticised the timing of the announcement, which created confusion, most have welcomed the intent of the move. Only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have, in principle, opposed it on the grounds of it being “anti-Hindi”. Some of them have vowed to bring back the three-language formula for exams once they are back in power.

Announcing the decision, School Education and Literacy Minister S. Madhu Bangarappa explained that until last year, SSLC exams were conducted for a total of 625 marks across six subjects, of which 100 marks were allotted to the third language. Henceforth, with the third language paper being only graded and not considered for the total marks, there will not be a pass or fail system for the third language, and the new total will be 525 for five subjects. However, the third language will be taught, and exams will be conducted as earlier, he said.

Most take Hindi

This new rule will apply to third languages such as Hindi (NCERT), Hindi, Kannada, English, Arabic, Urdu, Sanskrit, Konkani, Tulu, and Marathi. However, data for the year 2025-26 shows that 93% of students have taken Hindi as a third language. Of the total 8,07,962 students who have registered themselves for SSLC exams this academic year, 7,52,398 students have Hindi as their third language.

The Minister argued that the move was aimed at easing pressure on students. A large number of students failing in the third language, which is predominantly Hindi in the State Board schools, prompted this decision, he said. Data from 2024-25 shows that of the total 1.64 lakh students who failed the SSLC exam, 1.46 lakh students failed the third language paper.

Mr. Bangarappa argued that given the data, it was evident that students were not comfortable with the third language and it was a burden on them. Grading the paper, instead of scoring it, was another measure to protect the interest of the students, he argued.

He further said several Kannada organisations had threatened to protest over the issue, arguing Hindi was being “imposed” on Kannadigas, and it was adversely affecting the future of the State’s students. The Kannada Development Authority and the State Education Policy (SEP) Commission, led by educationist Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, have also recommended adopting a two-language policy in the State, giving up the current three-language policy, he pointed out.

Grading the third-language paper and not counting it towards the total marks is now seen as a first step towards a two-language policy. After the SEP Commission submitted its report to the State Government in 2025, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah voiced his support for adopting a two-language formula in the State. However, the government is yet to implement the SEP report in full.

The contested TLF

The Three Language Formula (TLF) has always been deeply contested in non-Hindi-speaking States, more so in States that have had governments led by regional parties. However, in recent years, even other States ruled by both Congress and the BJP are fast catching up.

The All India Council for Education recommended the adoption of the TLF in September 1956. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and others of the Congress supported the policy to promote a “national link language” which they said would foster national unity. This policy was first adopted in the National Education Policy – 1968 by the Kothari Commission, as per which TLF includes the study of a modern Indian language, preferably one of the Southern languages, apart from Hindi and English, in the Hindi-speaking States, and Hindi along with the regional language and English in the non-Hindi-speaking States. This policy was supposed to promote national integration, multilingual competence, and cultural exchange. NEP-2020 has also emphasised the implementation of TLF.

However, this policy was strongly opposed by Tamil Nadu, which stuck to a two-language policy of Tamil and English. Likewise, most Hindi-speaking States have not implemented the three-language formula in letter and spirit. Most States do not teach a modern Indian language, like any South Indian language, as their third language. They mostly teach Sanskrit, Urdu, or, in some cases even foreign languages. However, since 1968, the TLF was implemented in the State without any opposition.

Discontent over the formula first arose in the 1970s, but over Sanskrit and not Hindi, in Karnataka. Railing against the prevalence of Sanskrit being chosen as the first language at the high school level, there was a demand for primacy for Kannada in school education, which was addressed during Devraj Urs’s tenure by moving Sanskrit into the third language group, from the first language group.

However, this was reversed by his successor R. Gundu Rao, also a Congress Chief Minister, leading to strong opposition. To address this, the government appointed a commission under V.K. Gokak, which recommended Kannada be mandated as the only first language in the State’s education. Demanding its implementation, a large movement led by actor Dr. Rajkumar took off, popularly known as “Gokak Chaluvali” in early 1980s. However, the Gokak Report has never been implemented in full till date.

Between 1968 and 1990, the third language paper carried only 50 marks and was not mandatory to pass. However, over time, 13 marks were fixed as the passing marks. Further, in 1990, with reforms in SSLC exams, the third language became more formalised. The paper was now marked for 100 marks like other subjects, with 35 as the passing marks and it was mandatory. Hindi emerged as the most widely chosen third language due to the availability of teachers, a general bent towards towing the national line, among other reasons.

“After making it mandatory to score at least 35 marks in the Third Language paper, mostly Hindi, there was pressure on the students, and the number of those who failed the exam increased. Among those who failed in the third language, a majority were children from rural areas,” observed Prof. Purushottama Bilimale, Chairman, Kannada Development Authority.

Resistance to Hindi 

Historically, the Kannada movement has articulated its opposition to Sanskrit, Tamil in southern Karnataka, and English in the context of the medium of instruction in education more than Hindi. However, post 2000s, the Kannada movement has increasingly articulated its stand against “Hindi imposition”. It has demanded that banking and other customer services, which are currently offered only in English and Hindi, be made available in Kannada as well.

It has opposed conducting all central recruitment exams only in Hindi and English, thereby giving an undue advantage to Hindi speakers. This led to several central recruitment exams being held in regional languages as well. Even recently, in March, Kannada organisations forced South Western Railways to cancel an exam being held only in Hindi and English. 

A ban on dubbing content from other languages into Kannada, imposed to protect the Kannada film industry in 1960s, was opposed on the ground that as a consumer a Kannadiga had the right to consume all content in Kannada only, turning the earlier argument on its head. 

An influx of migration from the Hindi-speaking States into Bengaluru post the IT boom of the 1990s has also sharpened this articulation. This is further strengthened by the arguments of southern States being “punished” for population control compared to their northern counterparts, affecting them in tax devolution and the upcoming delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies. Since the BJP is seen as “promoting” Hindi more aggressively than Congress, which was doing so in the early post-independence years, resistance to Hindi has also taken clear political connotations.

Opposition to teaching Hindi in schools also stems from the reluctance of central board schools, that have mushroomed in large numbers especially in urban centres like Bengaluru, in teaching the regional language of the State, Kannada. This has created a large number of local students proficient in Hindi and English, but not in their mother tongue/regional language, drawing the ire of many. After the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act, 2022, mandated teaching Kannada as a subject, many of these schools are teaching Kannada as a third language. 

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has been following a 3-language formula up to class 8 and 2-languages in classes 9 and 10. In these schools usually English (mandatory) and Hindi/Regional languages are the first and second languages. For third languages (till Class 8), often Sanskrit/regional/foreign language are taken. In Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) schools, third language is mandatory till class 8. Formal exams will be conducted by school till class 8. In class 10, second language is board assessed, third language usually discontinued.

DSEL Minister Madhu Bangarappa has argued that the State Board was also adopting a similar approach to the third language, and was not entirely new. “Two-language formula is in force in States like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Grading is being given instead of marks for third languages in many States, including central curriculum schools,” he pointed out.

However, BJP leaders of the State, including R. Ashok, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, have not only opposed the government’s move to not consider a third language for scoring in SSLC exams, but have vowed to bring it back once they come to power.

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has also sharply opposed it as an “anti-Hindi” move, prompting Kannada organisations to protest against it. However, interestingly, in Maharashtra, now ruled by the BJP in coalition with a faction of Shiv Sena, a regional Hindutva party, a controversy arose when the government tried to impose a three-language formula at the primary level. Following a backlash, a two-language formula continues there till class 5 and three-language formula later.

“The decades-old demand of Kannadigas has been fulfilled. The government should fully implement the two-language formula. Kannada should be made mandatory as the first language at all levels of education. The licences of private schools that violate this should be cancelled,” demanded T.A. Narayana Gowda, president, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike. 

However, teachers, parents, and students are confused about the suddenness of the decision. “It is disappointing that the government announced this decision with only five days left for the completion of the SSLC exam. Many students have called me about this and questioned whether it is necessary to write the exam since Hindi marks are not considered for the results,” said a Hindi teacher of a government school.

A student who wrote the exam this time said he was surprised and worried when he came to know the grading of Hindi. “I was good at Hindi. Since Maths and Science were a bit difficult, I thought I could score more with Hindi marks. Now I am worried that my SSLC score may come down,” he said.

Kannada as third language

There are concerns over what would happen in schools where Kannada is being taught as a third language, especially in 5,800 linguistic minority schools and also those who have opted for Sanskrit as their first language. Data shows there are 11,483 students registered for SSLC exams in 2025-26, with Kannada as their third language, compared to 7.52 lakh students with Hindi as their third language. 

With the government now introducing grading for the third language paper, there are concerns that it may hamper Kannada learning of these students. Mr. Bangarappa said a separate policy will be implemented after discussing with experts to ensure that Kannada does not suffer from any problem due to the inclusion of third languages in grading. What this policy will entail is yet to be articulated by the government.