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Maharashtra Mandates Hindi as Third Language in Schools Under NEP 2020

The phased rollout, starting in 2025–26, has drawn political and educational criticism over linguistic identity and implementation challenges.

Mumbai, India - February 7, 2019: Translated textbooks in Warli for students at Zilla Parishad school,Khoricha Pada at Saphale near Mumbai, India, on Thursday, February 7, 2019. (Photo by Pramod Thakur/Hindustan Times) (Pramod Thakur/HT Photo)
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Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal called for an immediate rollback of the Hindi language policy.
According to the State Curriculum Framework for School Education 2024, Hindi will be a compulsory third language for classes 1 to 5 in both Marathi- and English- medium schools. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Overview

  • The Maharashtra government has issued a resolution making Hindi a compulsory third language for Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools, starting in the 2025–26 academic year.
  • The policy is part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and includes a phased implementation timeline extending to higher grades by 2028–29.
  • Opposition leaders, including Congress and MNS, have criticized the move as an attack on Marathi identity and an overreach by the central government.
  • Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar defended the decision, emphasizing the importance of Hindi for national communication while affirming Marathi's primacy in the state.
  • Educators have raised concerns about the practical challenges of multilingual education, including student overload and the need for adequate teacher training.