Maharashtra government rolls back order making Hindi compulsory third language in schools
The Maharashtra government has reversed its decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language in schools following intense criticism from Opposition parties. School Education Minister Dada Bhuse announced that Hindi will now be an optional subject, with Marathi and English being the priority languages.
The government’s earlier decision, announced on April 16, sparked controversy by making Hindi mandatory as a third language for students in classes 1 to 5. The State Council of Educational Research and Training had included this provision in the state School Curriculum Framework-2024.
However, Opposition parties like the Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) strongly objected to the move, accusing the government of imposing Hindi on the state.
Bhuse clarified that the term “mandatory” will be removed from the government resolution, and Hindi will be offered as an optional subject. Students who wish to learn Hindi can take it alongside Marathi and English. A new government resolution will be issued soon, outlining the revised language policy.
Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had defended the original policy, stating that it didn’t diminish the importance of Marathi.
However, the Language Consultation Committee, led by Laxmikant Deshmukh, opposed the decision, citing procedural bypassing and concerns about language imposition.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar welcomed the state government’s decision, emphasising that Hindi should be kept optional to preserve the dignity of Marathi.
