Maharashtra Education Policy 2025: Govt Clears Confusion Over Language Rule – Hindi Optional, Not Compulsory

The Maharashtra Education Minister, Dada Bhuse, has clarified that Hindi is not a compulsory subject for students from Standard I to V in the state, as reported by mid-day. His statement comes amid strong criticism and confusion following a government resolution (GR) that appeared to make Hindi mandatory in all schools.

Speaking to reporters at Mantralaya on Tuesday, Minister Bhuse said, "Under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, the Union government has not made any language compulsory. In Maharashtra, too, Hindi is optional, not mandatory."

Why Was The GR Issued?

Mr Bhuse explained that Hindi was recommended as a practical choice because it shares the same Devanagari script as Marathi. "There is also a problem in getting enough qualified teachers for other languages," he added.

According to the education department, schools across Maharashtra would find it difficult to appoint teachers for third languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam or Gujarati if students were to choose these as part of the NEP's three-language formula.

"Realistically, it is not possible to have teachers for all these languages in every school," said a government official.

What The NEP Says

The new education policy suggests a three-language system instead of the current two-language format. Out of the three, two must be Indian languages. While Hindi was earlier believed to be compulsory alongside Marathi and English, officials have now clarified that it is just one of the options.

Bhuse said that Hindi is currently taught from Standard V, and the idea behind introducing it earlier was simply to help students get more familiar with it.

"We did not want to force any language. Our aim was to support students by making things easier," he said.

Political Response

The move to introduce Hindi from Standard I faced strong opposition from regional political parties. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, and the Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, both criticised the resolution.

Interestingly, the issue has brought the two rivals closer after nearly two decades of political distance. Raj Thackeray had split from the Shiv Sena in 2005 to form the MNS, but both parties share a common goal-protecting the Marathi language and the interests of local people.

The language row has now become a wider political issue, with concerns over the role of Hindi and the importance of regional identity in education.