Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday clarified that students are no longer required to compulsorily learn Hindi as the third language in schools, following a fresh order issued by the state government. The amended directive now allows students to opt for any Indian language as their third language, provided at least 20 students per grade in a school express interest.
The new government resolution (GR) replaces the earlier rule that had made Hindi mandatory in Marathi and English medium schools for students from Classes 1 to 5. The order now states that Hindi will “generally” be taught as the third language, but students have the option to choose another Indian language if the criteria are met.
Speaking in Dehu, Fadnavis said, “We had earlier made Hindi compulsory, but the compulsion has now been removed. Any Indian language can be chosen if at least 20 students opt for it. Teachers will be provided accordingly, and online education will also be arranged if necessary.”
He added that while English is promoted widely, Indian languages often get neglected, which is “not appropriate.” He highlighted the state’s initiatives to offer professional courses like engineering, medicine, and MBA in Marathi, in line with the New Education Policy (NEP), which promotes multilingualism and learning in the mother tongue.
However, the revised policy has sparked criticism. Pro-Marathi outfits alleged that the state government was reintroducing Hindi through the “backdoor,” and the Congress accused it of betraying the Marathi-speaking population. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray also opposed the move, questioning the need to impose Hindi in a Marathi-speaking state.
Responding to Thackeray, Fadnavis said, “I’ve spoken to him. He wants only two languages to be taught. But the three-language formula is a central feature of the NEP and has been adopted after expert deliberation nationwide. Maharashtra cannot follow a separate model.”
Fadnavis reiterated that Marathi remains compulsory and that learning any third Indian language should not be seen as a threat but as an opportunity to broaden knowledge and cognitive development.