The Maharashtra government has reversed its decision to make Hindi a mandatory subject in schools following strong criticism. Now, students in Classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi-medium schools can choose another Indian language instead of Hindi as their third language.
According to the updated rules, if at least 20 students in a class choose the same language other than Hindi, the school will get a dedicated teacher for that subject. If fewer than 20 students make the request, the subject will be taught online.
This new rule comes from the State Curriculum Framework for School Education 2024. It clearly states that while Hindi is usually the third language, students have the freedom to learn a different Indian language if they wish.
Marathi Remains Compulsory: New Rules for All Schools
Under the revised policy, Marathi will continue to be a compulsory subject in all schools.
In non-Marathi and non-English medium schools, students from Class 1 to 5 will study three languages: Their medium of instruction, Marathi, and English.
The language policy for Classes 6 to 10 will follow the rules set under the State Curriculum Framework.
Backlash on Hindi Language Rule
Earlier in April, the government had announced that Hindi would be mandatory as a third language in Marathi and English-medium schools. However, this decision received heavy criticism from political parties like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and other groups.
Following the backlash, Maharashtra’s Language Consultation Committee asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to cancel the order. As a result, the education minister, Dada Bhuse confirmed that the old rule had been paused, and a new Government Resolution (GR) would be issued, which has now been released.
