Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday (June 4, 2026) accused the Narendra Modi-led Union government of sacrificing educational rationale for political agendas.Taking to X, Mr. Ramesh raised questions over the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) recent directive mandating the implementation of the three-language formula for Classes 9 and 10 starting July this year.The secret ‘U-turn’Mr. Ramesh detailed a stark contradiction in CBSE’s decision-making over the last six months. He stated that during its semi-annual meeting in December 2025, the CBSE governing body explicitly ratified a recommendation by its curriculum committee to maintain existing study arrangements — specifically regarding language provisions — until the NCERT released dedicated, graded textbooks.This initial resolution bore the signatures of the then-CBSE chairman Rahul Singh and former secretary Himanshu Gupta, both of whom have since been transferred, over the CBSE on-screen marking (OSM) portal row.“So, what changed in these six months?” Mr. Ramesh asked on X. He pointed out that despite NCERT failing to release any third-language textbooks for secondary classes (Classes 9 and 10), CBSE issued a circular in May 2026 abruptly mandating the extra language.“The very decision that the signing chairman and secretary of CBSE were still in their positions for was effectively overturned by CBSE... So, why did CBSE take this U-turn, and on whose orders?” Mr. Ramesh asked.‘Academic chaos’, missing textbooksThe Congress leader criticised the logistics of the new directive, noting that CBSE has instructed schools to use Class 6 NCERT textbooks to teach the third language to Class 9 students due to the lack of appropriate secondary-level material.“There is no educational rationale behind this decision. It is sowing chaos in the academic calendar and schools’ planning systems, and affecting the academic future of millions of students,” he said.Demand for accountabilityMr. Ramesh claimed the move makes it evident that the Ministry of Education and its autonomous bodies are operating on “political whims” rather than expert academic counsel. He further criticised the government’s tendency to shield top political leadership by shifting blame onto bureaucrats.“When it comes to fixing accountability, officials like the CBSE chairperson and secretary are transferred, while their political masters sitting in the Prime Minister’s Cabinet are shielded,” Mr. Ramesh stated.The Congress general secretary demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, labelling him a “political hack devoid of integrity”.He also stated that Mr. Pradhan should step down for showing “no respect for educational expertise.” Published - June 04, 2026 08:47 pm IST
