Hindi default 3rd language in Maharashtra schools unless 20 students pick alternative

Mumbai: Hindi will not be a compulsory third language in Maharashtra state board schools, but it will be the default choice unless at least 20 students in a class opt for an alternative language, according to a government resolution (GR) issued late Tuesday.
This comes months after the Maharashtra government's proposal to make Hindi compulsory starting from Class 1 triggered widespread criticism from educationists and opposition political parties, who considered it an imposition of Hindi and an undermining of Marathi.
The revised order has reignited criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti government on the topic, with experts and opposition leaders saying it was in effect a backdoor entry of the compulsory-Hindi policy and a betrayal of the Marathi people.
As per the new GR, issued by the state school education department, while a third language is mandatory, Hindi will no longer be compulsory. However, it will 'in general' be the third language for Classes 1-5 in Marathi- and English-medium schools. Schools or parents may choose an alternative Indian language, provided that at least 20 students in a class opt for it. If this threshold is met, a teacher for that language will be appointed, or it will be taught online.
The GR is part of the ongoing implementation of the State Curriculum Framework for School Education 2024, which is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Critics argued that while the GR appears to offer flexibility, it effectively imposes Hindi by making it difficult to opt for other languages. 'This is again the compulsion of Hindi in another form,' said an education expert, pointing out the practical hurdles in securing a teacher for a different language or getting 20 students per class to opt for it.
The new directive appears to contradict the statements of state education minister Dadaji Bhuse in April, assuring that Hindi would not be imposed. After a GR proposing Hindi as a compulsory third language from Class 1 triggered widespread backlash, Bhuse had said that Hindi would no longer be mandatory in the early grades. He later said that the government had received suggestions to introduce Hindi from Class 3 instead, adding that the decision was being reconsidered. He had also said that the three-language formula was 'on hold'.
Education experts expressed strong dissent over the new GR. 'The government wants to come in through the back door and crush Marathi children by burdening their fragile brains with Hindi,' said Ramesh Panse, senior educationist and member of the steering committee for the State Curriculum Framework. 'The parents of Marathi children should foil this plot. Political parties that claim to support Marathi must wake up and oppose this policy on a large scale to protect Marathi students.'
Vasant Kalpande, former director of school education, argued that the requirement for 20 students to opt for a non-Hindi language and the provision to teach such languages only online are veiled attempts to discourage their selection.
'Although Marathi and Hindi share a similar script, it is too much to expect young students to understand the differences and nuances between them at such an early age,' said Kalpande. He added that Hindi is not a compulsory third language in states like Gujarat and Assam.
Deepak Pawar, founder of the Marathi Bhasha Abhyas Kendra, which works to promote the Marathi language, accused the Maharashtra government of breaking its promise. 'The government has betrayed the Marathi people. If we stay silent now, it will pave the way for dismantling the federal structure and erasing the legacy of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement,' he said.

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