Mumbai — Just days before the Monsoon Session of the state Assembly, the Maharashtra government hit the brakes on its controversial plan to make Hindi a mandatory third language for primary school students.
The decision, announced on Sunday, walks back an earlier directive that sparked widespread debate across the state—especially in Marathi and English-medium schools.
What Was the Plan?
Back in April, the Mahayuti government—which includes the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction—proposed a new language policy.
Under this, students from Class 1 to Class 5 would learn Marathi, English, and Hindi, bringing in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s three-language formula.
Sounds simple, right? Not quite.
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Why People Were Upset
The key issue? Making Hindi “generally compulsory” felt like an imposition to many in Maharashtra, where Marathi is central to the state’s identity.
Even though the order said students could opt out of Hindi if 20 or more of them chose a different Indian language, critics argued that the setup still favored Hindi by default.
Opposition parties like Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s MNS planned protests. Even Sharad Pawar chimed in, saying, “Maharashtrians are not anti-Hindi, but forcing the language isn’t right.”
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So, What Changed?
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a new committee, headed by educationist and ex-Rajya Sabha MP Narendra Jadhav, to rethink the implementation.
Until that committee comes back with recommendations, the state is putting the brakes on Hindi as a default third language.
“Our language policy will always be Marathi-centric,” said Fadnavis. “We’ll wait for expert suggestions before deciding how and when to roll this out.”
What Is the Three-Language Formula Anyway?
Good question. It’s part of both the old and new National Education Policies. The idea is to teach students:
- English
- Hindi
- And the regional language of their state
But the NEP leaves how it’s implemented up to the states—so there’s room for flexibility.
Timeline of What Went Down
- April 16: Hindi announced as the mandatory third language
- April 20: State-appointed committee opposes the move
- April 22: Government pauses implementation, opens up options
- June 17: A fresh order brings back Hindi as the default third language
- June 28: State walks it back again—pending committee review
What Happens Next?
For now, Marathi students and schools get to breathe easy. Nothing’s changing right away.
The new language committee will suggest the best way forward, and the state has promised not to make any hasty moves.
