India, May 24 -- The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a directive that will reshape language instruction at the foundational level in affiliated schools across the country. CBSE schools will now use the "mother tongue" or state language as the primary language, or medium of instruction, from kindergarten up to Class 2. This is in line with the new guidelines of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023.

According to a circular dated May 22, 2025, the primary language of learning should be the one that is most familiar to the child, preferably the "mother tongue". Where that isn't possible, the state language must be used. This language will serve as the medium of instruction for all subjects at the foundational s...