Mumbai: Facing strong opposition from the state, the Maharashtra government finally pulled its decision to force Hindi into a third language, namely, students in Marathi and English secondary schools. State School Education Minister Dada Bhuse made it clear that the state government has continued to issue orders to compulsory Hindi in primary schools.
He said: “The Hindi language will not be mandatory. We are withdrawing the ‘mand’ Hindi language (from government resolution) and a new GR will be issued on this issue. The third language for Marathi and English secondary schools will be optional.”
The move comes days after the Maharashtra government’s Language Advisory Committee urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to revoke the decision. Committee Chairman Laxmikant Deshmukh wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging the government to cancel the move.
Bhuse clarified that those interested in Hindi will be given the Hindi choice. He added: “We chose Hindi because it is compatible with Marathi and has Devanagari scripts. In this regard, the next revised government decision will be released soon.”
MNS chief Raj Thackeray welcomed the decision, saying the measures the government should take on this issue should take action earlier. He said: “The Hindi language used by the Maharashtra government from Level 1 was cancelled only due to the initiative and support of MNS! Thanks to the government for making the right decision.”
The issue was also discussed at the Cabinet meeting, chaired by CM Fadnavis. A senior official in attendance said the CM informed the cabinet about the reasons for removing Hindi from Level 1 to Level 5 mandatory, with teachers who speak Hindi languages having a greater number of teachers in the state than other languages in the country. However, the opposition has developed a perception that the government imposes Hindi in the state.
“In response to opposition views, the chief minister asked schools and education departments to modify the orders and not to enforce Hindi,” the senior official said.
He said students will be given options for third languages. “If 20 students prefer any Indian language, including Bengali, Gujarati, Urdu, Kannada and Hindi, it will be taught from the first level. If the demand for other Indian languages is raised, students will be taught online.”
The state government decided to force Hindi to Marathi, and the English decision of the Standard caused great controversy and was ridiculed in every aspect of the state.
Opposition parties include Congress, the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and MNS led by Raj Thackeray all condemned the government’s move. MNS workers actively staged protests in Mumbai, Pune and Hindi against Hindi’s coercion, Raj Thackeray said his party would not tolerate Hindi’s coercion in the state.
According to the GR issued by the State Government Schools and Education Department, Hindi will be the third language for Marathi and English secondary schools, the fifth grade of the 2025-26 school year. Currently, in Marathi and English secondary schools, two languages - marathon and English are essential.
GR is published in accordance with NPA guidelines. According to the NPA, “the three-language formula will continue to be implemented, keeping in mind the constitutional provisions, the desires of the people, the regions and alliances, and the need to promote multiple languages and promote national unity, but, in terms of the three languages, no language will exert greater flexibility in the three languages, as well as the three languages themselves. Since at least two of the three languages are native to India, they can prove the basic level of the three languages (including one language at the literary level) at the end of secondary school.
