Third Language in Maharashtra: Hindi will be the third language in Maharashtra, at least 20 students are required for other languages..

Third Language in Maharashtra: The Maharashtra government has taken a big decision under a new educational initiative. According to the latest Government Resolution (GR) issued by the government, Hindi will now be taught as the third language in state schools. If a student wants to learn another language, the school will need at least 20 willing students.

These things have been said in the government order.

The order issued by the government states that as per the State Curriculum Framework School Education 2024, from now on, Hindi will be compulsory as the third language in Marathi and English medium schools from classes 1 to 5. In other medium schools, three languages ​​​​Marathi, English, and Hindi will be taught from class 1 to 5. The language policy for classes 6 to 10 will be as per the State Curriculum Framework-School Education.

Students can also choose another language instead of Hindi.
The government order states that Hindi will now be the third language for classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools, but if students express a desire to teach one of the other Indian languages ​​as a third language instead of Hindi, then those students will be allowed to teach that language as a third language. However, the number of such students in their school who express a desire to teach other languages ​​​​as a third language instead of Hindi should be at least 20 class-wise.

Hindi was not compulsory earlier.
Earlier, School Education Minister Dada Bhuse had stated in April 2025 that Hindi would not be made compulsory from classes 1 to 5. Later he also said that "the decision to implement Hindi as a third language is currently on hold". But the order issued now appears to be contrary to the earlier position of the government, which has again raised controversy.

Why is there a protest?
Deepak Pawar of Marathi Bhasha Abhyas Kendra said, "This is a betrayal of the Marathi language and the federal structure of the Constitution. If we remain silent today, then in the future the languages ​​of other states will also be affected by the Centre."

Former Education Board Chairman Vasant Kalpande also expressed concern and said, "The scripts of Hindi and Marathi are similar, but there is a subtle difference between the two, which will be difficult for young children to understand. This is not a choice, but a compulsion."

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