A language consultation panel of the Maharashtra government on Sunday opposed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ decision to make Hindi compulsory from first standard in schools.
The panel’s chief Laxmikant Deshmukh has written to CM Fadnavis requesting him to revoke the decision which made teaching Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 to 5 in all state board schools, alongside Marathi and English, a HT report said.
A Government Resolution (GR) issued on April 17 mentioned Hindi as a third language will be compulsory from Class 1 to 5 from the next academic year and the new syllabus as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, will be implemented for Class 1 in 2025-26.
The GR said the policy would be implemented in 2026-27 for Class 2, 3, 4 and 6. While for Classes 5, 9 and 11, the policy would be implemented from 2027-28, and for Classes 8, 10 and 12 it would apply from 2028-29.
Shiv Sena opposes decision
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that his party will not allow making Hindi compulsory in Maharashtra after the state government decided to make Hindi a mandatory third language for students of classes 1 to 5.
Addressing an event of the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, the workers’ wing of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Thackeray said his party has no aversion to the Hindi language but asked why it is being forced.
NCP (SCP) calls it a ‘conspiracy’
Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) MP Supriya Sule on Saturday called the decision a “consipracy” to finish the SSC board.
While criticising the government’s ‘compulsory Hindi’ decision, Sule said, “I have said earlier that this decision has been taken in a hurry. Marathi is the soul of Maharashtra, and it will continue to be number one. There is a lot of work to do in the field of education, and Marathi language must be the first language. I think this step is a conspiracy to finish off our SSC board.”
Sule went to say that Marathi is the soul of Maharashtra, and the decision has been taken in a hurry.
Fadnavis defends decision
After receiving flak from the opposition and other parties, CM Fadnavis defended his government’s decision to make Hindi compulsory as a third language in schools. He asserted that while Marathi is non-negotiable and must be learned by all, learning additional languages remains a personal choice.
Speaking to the media, Fadnavis, expressing surprise at the opposition to Hindi and the growing preference for English, warned that any challenge to Marathi will not be tolerated.
“Marathi language is compulsory in Maharashtra; everyone should learn it. Additionally, if you wish to learn other languages, you can do so. Opposition to Hindi and promotion of English is surprising. If someone opposes Marathi, then it will not be tolerated,” CM Fadnavis said.
What is the National Education Policy (NEP)
The NEP aims to create an education system that contributes directly to transforming the country, providing high-quality education to all, and making India a global knowledge superpower.
The draft of the NEP by a panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Kasturirangan and submitted to the Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal when he took charge in 2019. The new NEP replaces the one formulated in 1986.