New Delhi, July 17 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Central Bureau of Secondary Education's decision to introduce a compulsory third language at the class 9 level, observing that it placed avoidable academic pressure on students already preparing for board examinations and suggesting that any such language should instead be introduced from Class 6. The remarks by justice BV Nagarathna assume significance as they come barely a fortnight after CBSE announced a one-time relaxation for the current batch of Class 9 students, exempting them from taking the third language in the Class 10 Board examination after widespread concerns from schools, parents and students over the abrupt implementation of the policy. Justice Nagarathna made the observations during the hearing of the Tamil Nadu government's appeal against a Madras high court's 2017 judgment directing the state to facilitate the establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in every district. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the scheme, contending that JNVs follow a three-language policy that is incompatible with the state's long-standing two-language policy. Although the validity of the CBSE's three-language policy was not under consideration before the bench that also comprised justice R Mahadevan, the discussion veered towards the stage at which a third language is introduced in schools. When counsel for Tamil Nadu submitted that the third language becomes compulsory only from Class 9, justice Nagarathna reacted, saying: "No, that is very bad. Ninth standard is stressful. Why do you introduce a new language in 9th? You introduce it in 6th."Drawing upon her own schooling, the judge recalled that students in her school began learning the third language during middle school so that they were adequately prepared before secondary school. "In the middle school the third language was started...The earlier, the better," she observed. Addressing the Union government directly, justice Nagarathna said: "Union of India, please don't have third language in 9th standard. CBSE, ICSE, state boards, 10th standard is a board exam. From the end of 8th standard onwards, the pressure starts."...