Telangana CBSE Schools Make Telugu Mandatory as 2nd Language; Parents Plan ‘Maha Dharna’

Hyderabad: A large group of parents in Hyderabad is set to stage a ‘maha dharna’ on April 5 at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park in protest against the Telangana government’s decision to make Telugu a mandatory second language in CBSE schools. They are currently awaiting police permission for the demonstration.

Several CBSE-affiliated schools, including top institutions in Hyderabad, have already replaced options like Hindi, Urdu, and another second language with Telugu as the only second language starting from the 2025-26 academic year.

Parents want the freedom to choose 2nd language and warned of a bigger & legal fight in June when schools reopen. 

They claimed making Telugu mandatory in higher classes would create difficulties for students appearing for board exams. Instead, they propose that Telugu be introduced as a third language in a phased manner and allow students to choose 2nd language as per their own choice.

They launched a campaign under the name “Freedom To Choose Language”.

Many have also threatened to take the legal route to challenge what they call ‘No Telugu Imposition’ on their children.

CBSE Schools in a Dilemma Over State’s Order

The state government’s directive to make Telugu as a compulsory subject to be implemented in CBSE, ICSE, IB, and other board-affiliated schools has put students and schools in a tough spot in Telangana. From the 2025–26 academic year, all CBSE, ICSE, and IB board schools must strictly comply with the Telugu language education mandate for Classes I to X.

This move has sparked confusion as the CBSE board has not issued any instructions regarding the implementation of the state’s order. 

Teachers argued that without CBSE approval, schools cannot enforce the directive.

Despite this, schools justified their decision, saying that for Classes 9 and 10, students can have only one-second language along with English and core subjects. 

To prepare students for board exams, they said they had no choice but to make Telugu mandatory.

Also Read: 4 Suspected Terrorists Steal Family’s Phone in Majalta After Fleeing Kathua Encounter

Parents Question Move

Many school heads have also criticized the rush to enforce Telugu without clear guidelines from CBSE. Ameer Khan, chairperson of Hyderabad Sahodaya Schools Complex (HSSC), which represents all CBSE schools in the city, said, "I don’t understand why some schools are in a hurry to make Telugu the mandatory second language. We have orders from the state on this, but we also have similar orders from CBSE about Hindi. Now, our only option is to wait for CBSE’s orders to decide whether or not to implement Telugu."

Teachers further clarified that the state government’s order does not specify that Telugu must be a second language, yet some schools have introduced it from Class 1 or Class 5, instead of offering it as a third language.

Parents Express Anger, Launch Protest Campaign

Parents, particularly those from other states who work in Hyderabad, are furious over the sudden change in their children’s language preference without their consent. They argue that CBSE schools should allow them to choose between Hindi, Urdu, or other languages instead of imposing Telugu.

Over 1,500 parents have already launched a campaign to revoke the decision, fearing that their children will struggle to learn Telugu in higher classes and face difficulties in board exams.

To fight for their "Freedom to Choose Language," parents have met various officials and politicians over the past 10 days to voice their concerns.

They started an email campaign on Wednesday to highlight the issue and planned a Maha Dharna on April 5 at Dharna Chowk.

Parents also fear that forcing students to learn a new language in higher classes could impact their overall academic performance.