The Maharashtra government’s recent decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language from Class 1 to 5 in all state board schools has sparked widespread opposition, with the state’s Language Consultation Panel and key political parties voicing strong objections.
According to a Hindustan Times report, the Language Consultation Panel, headed by Laxmikant Deshmukh, has formally opposed the move. Deshmukh has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to withdraw the decision, which mandates teaching Hindi as a third language alongside Marathi and English under the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework.
A Government Resolution (GR) issued on April 17 stated that Hindi will be introduced compulsorily as the third language from the academic year 2025–26 for Class 1 students, marking the beginning of phased implementation of the NEP-aligned syllabus.
Political Opposition Mounts
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday expressed strong opposition to the move, declaring that his party would not allow the imposition of Hindi in Maharashtra.
Speaking at an event organized by Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, the workers’ wing of the party, Thackeray clarified that while there is no opposition to the Hindi language itself, forcing it upon students is unacceptable. “Why is Hindi being imposed?” he questioned.
‘A Conspiracy to End SSC Board’: Supriya Sule
Joining the chorus of criticism, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule termed the decision a “conspiracy” to undermine the state’s SSC board.
“I have previously said this decision was made in haste. Marathi is the soul of Maharashtra, and it should remain the primary language of instruction. There is still a lot to be done in education, and making Hindi compulsory feels like a deliberate move to dilute the importance of our state board,” Sule said.
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