Hindi no longer mandatory third language in Maharashtra schools

A revised Government Resolution (GR) will be issued soon to remove word ‘mandatory’,  said School Education Minister Dada Bhuse. “The three-language formula remains, but schools must accommodate other language choices if a significant number of students in a class request it,” he said.

The rollback came on the heels of opposition from the state’s Language Consultation Committee, whose chairperson, Laxmikant Deshmukh, criticised the move, prompting a clarification from the School Education Minister.

The Maharashtra government decision triggered a sharp backlash from Opposition parties, sparking a wider debate on regional identity, language politics, and federalism.

Parties across the Opposition spectrum — Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) under Uddhav Thackeray, and the Congress — have opposed the perceived imposition of Hindi. While Raj Thackeray has taken the most aggressive stance, Uddhav has accused the BJP of trying to divide people on linguistic lines. Congress leader Vijay Waddetiwar went further, calling the move an “attack on the Marathi language” and an attempt to erode state autonomy.

The ruling BJP finds itself on the back foot in a state with a long history of linguistic assertion. While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has argued for the utility of Hindi as a common medium of communication, he also stressed the importance of preserving Marathi. The BJP is wary of being perceived as anti-Marathi, especially in Mumbai, where the Marathi vs. non-Marathi divide has long shaped politics.

The tension around language is not new in Maharashtra. The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement in the 1950s fought for the creation of a Marathi-speaking state with Mumbai as its capital, a goal realised in 1960. Later, Bal Thackeray’s Shiv Sena built its base by championing the rights of the “Marathi Manoos” and targeting South Indian and North Indian communities over employment and cultural influence.