Maharashtra Panel Opposes Move To Make Hindi Compulsory In Schools, Urges CM Fadnavis To Revoke Decision

The Maharashtra government's language consultation committee on Sunday unanimously opposed the recent decision to make Hindi compulsory from the first year of schooling.

The committee's chairperson, Laxmikant Deshmukh, has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to withdraw the decision, reported Hindustan Times.

Photo Credit: PTI

On April 17, the state government mandated the inclusion of Hindi as a third language from Class 1 onwards in all state board schools, alongside Marathi and English, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP).

Rahul Ashok Rekhawar, Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Maharashtra, confirmed that the decision had been taken by the School Education Department on April 16.

"On behalf of the Maharashtra Government, the School Education Department has decided to make Hindi, along with Marathi and English, compulsory from Class 1 in all state board schools. This has been done keeping in mind future opportunities and development, and the students will certainly benefit," Rekhawar told ANI.

Following criticism from opposition parties, Fadnavis told ANI, "Marathi is compulsory in Maharashtra - everyone must learn it. Additionally, if you wish to learn other languages, that is also possible. The opposition to Hindi and the promotion of English is quite surprising. If anyone were to oppose Marathi, it would not be tolerated."

Maha Vikas Aghadi voices strong opposition

The opposition alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), criticised the ruling Mahayuti government over the move.

"I was the first to object to the education minister's proposal about making the CBSE board mandatory in Maharashtra. Why is there a need to replace the existing state board with CBSE? Before discussing the language issue, we should address the state's basic education infrastructure," NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule told PTI.

Former chief minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray stated, "We are ready to do anything if asked respectfully - but if something is forced upon us, we will resist it. Why impose the learning of Hindi?"

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar also criticised the decision, urging the government not to "impose" a language.

"You can keep it as an optional subject, but you cannot enforce it. On whose instruction are you trying to push this language onto the state?" he asked. "We regard Marathi as our mother tongue. This third language should not be introduced compulsorily. There should be no compulsion that infringes on the rights of Marathi-speaking people - that is our firm stance," Wadettiwar told ANI.

(With agency inputs)