Mahashtra introduces Hindi as 3rd language in schools, move sparks backlash

Hindi will now be taught as the third language in English and Marathi medium schools in Maharashtra from classes 1 to 5, the state government said on Tuesday. According to the government order, Hindi has not been mandatory and will 'generally' be the third language. However, if at least 20 students per grade want to study any language other than Hindi as a third, the schools have an option to opt out.
The move, which aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, drew sharp criticism from not just the Opposition but also Marathi language advocates, who accused the government of giving a 'backdoor' entry to the policy after initially backtracking, reported PTI. Congress, which is in opposition in the state, accused Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of "stabbing" the Marathi people in the chest.
The order gives an option to schools to opt out of teaching Hindi if 20 students from each standard wish to learn some other language.
"Those who wish to learn any other language as an option to Hindi, should meet the expectation of 20 students from each standard in a school. In such a situation, a teacher for that particular language will be made available or the language will be taught online," the order read.
If a demand of teaching any other language arises, either a teacher will be appointed or the language will be taught online, the order added.
For schools that follow other mediums of instruction, the three-language formula must include the medium language, Marathi and English, the order said.
The fresh move by the Maharashtra education department comes in contrast to what the state's education minister said earlier.
When the Maharashtra government tried to bring the three language policy earlier this year by introducing Hindi from class 1, it was met with severe backlash. Following this, state's School Education Minister Dada Bhuse on April 22 said that Hindi will not be compulsory.
'The decision to introduce Hindi from class 1 as a third language was taken earlier. However, many parents have suggested it be introduced from class 3 instead. We will consider these suggestions before taking any further decision," Bhuse said at an event in Pune last month.
He added that the three-language formula was 'on hold' and that the schools will operate under the current two-language system for now. However, the fresh move by the state government contradicts Bhuse's statements.
Deepak Pawar of the Mumbai-based Marathi Bhasha Abhyas Kendra called the action 'nothing but the backdoor imposition of Hindi'. "The government has betrayed the Marathi people. If we remain silent now, it will pave the way for dismantling the federal structure and the legacy of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement," he said in a social media post
According to Vasant Kalpande, former chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, it will be difficult for the students at such a young age to understand the nuances and differences between Marathi and Hindi scripts and that it is not likely to find 20 students in a class who want to study some other language than Hindi. "The provision to make teacher available online is also an attempt to discourage opting for any other language than Hindi," he said. He also pointed out that in Gujarat and Assam, which are also BJP-ruled states, Hindi is not a mandatory third language in schools.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal slammed chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and said he has 'once again stabbed a dagger into the heart of Maharashtra'. He called the option of opting out of Hindi 'a pretense of choice while a deliberate conspiracy to impose Hindi!'
'This is nothing but BJP's anti-Maharashtra agenda, a plot to destroy the Marathi language, Marathi identity, and the Marathi people. It is clear from this that the loyalty of Fadnavis, Shinde, and Ajit Pawar lies not with Maharashtra or the Marathi people but with the rulers in Delhi,' Sapkal said in a post on X.
'The Shinde faction, which repeatedly invokes Balasaheb Thackeray's name, controls the education department, yet they have stabbed a dagger in the back of Shiv Sena, just as they have taken a contract to murder Marathi.'
'Ajit Pawar is so desperate for power that he cares little whether Maharashtra, the Marathi language, or the Marathi people live or die. His only policy is to secure the finance department for himself,' he added.
With PTI inputs.

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