How to use alternatives on linux - CentOS 6?

I am trying to configure python to 3.9 on CentOS 6. Here is my steps: [root@quickstart ~]# alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/local/bin/python3.9 10 [root@quickstart ~]# alternatives --config python There is 1 program that provides 'python'. Selection Command ----------------------------------------------- *+ 1 /usr/local/bin/python3.9 Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number: 1 [root@quickstart ~]# alternatives --display python python - status is manual. link currently points to /usr/local/bin/python3.9 /usr/local/bin/python3.9 - priority 10 Current `best' version is /usr/local/bin/python3.9. [root@quickstart ~]# alternatives --set python /usr/local/bin/python3.9 But when I issue python --version, still is 2.6 [root@quickstart ~]# python --version **Python 2.6.6** [root@quickstart ~]# EDIT: even following the steps, the $PATH still has the python 2.6 in the first argument. Could be it? where is the $PATH configured? neither /etc/bashrc or ~/.bashrc doesn't have it. [root@quickstart ~]# whereis python python: /usr/bin/python2.6 /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python2.6-config /usr/lib/python2.6 /usr/lib64/python2.6 /usr/local/bin/python3.9-config /usr/local/bin/python3.9 /usr/local/lib/python3.9 /usr/include/python2.6 /usr/share/man/man1/python.1.gz [root@quickstart ~]# EDIT 2: The /etc/alternatives has the python as 3.9, but not globaly. [root@quickstart alternatives]# pwd /etc/alternatives [root@quickstart alternatives]# ./python --version Python 3.9.10 [root@quickstart alternatives]# python --version Python 2.6.6 [root@quickstart alternatives]#