- By Imran Zafar
- Sun, 20 Apr 2025 04:47 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Maharashtra government's language consultation committee unanimously opposed the decision to make Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 in state board schools. Laxmikant Deshmukh, chairperson of the panel, has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis requesting withdrawal of the April 17 Government Resolution (GR), which mandates this move under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, HT reported.
As per the GR, Hindi will be introduced as a third language in a phased manner starting from the academic year 2025–26. It will begin with Class 1 and expand each subsequent year, Classes 2, 3, 4, and 6 in 2026–27; Classes 5, 9, and 11 in 2027–28; and Classes 8, 10 and 12 in 2028–29. The decision was taken by the School Education Department on April 16.
Rahul Ashok Rekhawar, director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), said the move aligns with NEP goals and aims to benefit students. He emphasised that Hindi would be taught alongside Marathi and English, without affecting the prominence of the regional language.
Political Opposition To 'Hindi Imposition'
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including leaders from the NCP(SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, accused the government of linguistic imposition. NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule questioned the need to prioritise Hindi and CBSE over strengthening the existing state board and infrastructure. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said any forced imposition would be met with resistance. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar demanded that Hindi remain optional and warned against infringing on Marathi linguistic rights.
CM Fadnavis Defends Language Inclusion
In response to mounting criticism, CM Fadnavis defended the government's decision, stating Marathi remains compulsory and untouchable, but learning additional languages like Hindi should be encouraged. He said promoting English while opposing Hindi is contradictory and reiterated that Marathi must not be undermined.
National Education Policy 2020
The National Education Policy aims to overhaul India’s education system to provide equitable, high-quality learning and make the country a global knowledge hub. The NEP, first proposed by a committee led by former ISRO chief K. Kasturirangan, was introduced in 2020 and replaced the 1986 policy framework.