New Delhi: With Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan saying that the CBSE will implement its three-language formula in a phased way rather than extend it to class 9 students immediately, the board is now expected to revise its contentious circular from last month, reports say.Although the CBSE’s curriculum released in April indicated that its three-language formula – requiring students to learn three languages including two native to India – would be implemented progressively starting with class 6 students this year, on May 15 it issued a circular mandating the policy for class 9 students as well starting July 1.This was even as its third-language textbooks for older pupils were not yet ready, in lieu of which it directed that class 9 students be given class 6 textbooks alongside supplementary material. Schools that did not have enough teachers to implement the move were asked to engage teachers of other subjects who are proficient in the concerned third language.Consternation and legal challenges followed amid worries over how class 9 students, many of whom had previously studied at least one foreign language other than English until class 8, would adapt.But Pradhan in an interview to the Times of India on Thursday said that the three-language formula would begin with class 6 students this year and apply progressively to older pupils.“Those already studying two foreign languages will be allowed to continue till they pass class 10,” he told the newspaper, claiming that “CBSE could not give a clear order”. The Times, as has The Hindu on Friday, also reported that the board is now expected to reverse its May 15 circular.According to The Hindu, the French and German embassies in Delhi have pushed back against the three-language formula in light of the fact that fewer students will now opt for these languages. Students can learn a second foreign language under the policy but would need to take it up as a fourth language – and an extra subject.Concerns have also been raised that the policy would lead to the ‘imposition’ of Hindi in southern India.Late last year the CBSE’s governing body reportedly ratified its curriculum committee’s recommendation that the board implement the three-language formula for class 9 and 10 students only after textbooks for their grades became available. That the CBSE took a u-turn by issuing its May circular, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had charged, showed that “the only agenda here is clearly political”.