Overview

• Maharashtra dropped mandatory Hindi in schools, making it an optional third language for students starting July 14.
• The central government expanded multilingual exam options and launched a national translation hub on June 26 to support diverse official communications.
• Two opinion columns published July 18 reflect a split between those labeling language rows as political distractions and those framing them as core to regional heritage.
• Recent flashpoints—from a viral Bengaluru auto driver demanding Kannada to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena members assaulting a DMart staffer for speaking Hindi—continue to inflame local tensions.
• English endures as India’s pan-regional link language, underpinning official business and serving as the key to upward mobility despite regional assertions.