Hindi no longer mandatory in Maharashtra schools for Classes 1 to 5: State Education Department

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday issued a stay on its order to make Hindi mandatory as a third language in Classes 1 to 5 across Marathi and English medium schools under the state board.

The stay ensures that while the three-language formula will still be applicable for students from Class 1 onwards, they will not be required to choose Hindi specifically as their third language.

Also Read: Maharashtra language panel opposes Devendra Fadnavis govt's ‘compulsory Hindi’ move

The decision comes amid a language row in the state over concerns of Hindi imposition. The three-language formula under NEP 2020 makes it mandatory for every school student to study at least three languages.

In an earlier government resolution Hindi had been made a mandatory third language, triggering backlash from Opposition parties and sparking a debate on regional identity and language politics.

Also Read: No compulsion to study Hindi: Maharashtra CM Fadnavis amid language row

State school education minister Dada Bhuse said, “We are staying the word mandatory (as mentioned in the government resolution). We will issue a revised government resolution.”

Bhuse said that the earlier government resolution had been introduced as both Hindi and Marathi used the Devanagari script and that would have made it easier for students to learn the language.

The director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Rahul Rekhawar, said that a third language had been introduced from Class 1 onwards so students would not feel any pressure surrounding learning a new language.

He added that the third language was only for speaking and listening purposes.

Hindi language row in Maharashtra

The move to make Hindi a voluntary third language came after the Maharashtra government's language consultation committee appealed to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to revoke the earlier government's resolution.

Also Read: Making Hindi compulsory neither political nor meant to undermine Marathi: Rahul Rekhawar

Shiv Sena(UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Congress had all expressed their opposition to the alleged imposition of the Hindi language and had termed the move as an attack on the Marathi language.

“You can keep it optional, but you cannot impose it. At whose behest are you trying to impose this language on the state?” Congress leader Vijay Waddetiwar asked.

Former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said, "We will do everything if you ask (us) with affection, but if you impose anything, we will oppose it. Why this force for (learning) Hindi?"

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had responded to the backlash, “It is wrong to say that attempts are being made to impose Hindi. Marathi will be compulsory in Maharashtra. There will be no other compulsion."

He added, “We will take a decision that if a student wishes to learn another language other than Hindi then he or she will be allowed to do so. The facility is also available in the NEP. However, there will be a rider that the number of students opting for another language must be at least 20 students only then they will be able to appoint a new teacher."

Fadnavis stated that currently, the availability of teachers for Hindi was higher in the state, while those for other regional languages were lacking.