July 6, 2025

The linguistic debate in Maharashtra has intensified following the government's move to introduce Hindi as the third language in primary education in Marathi and English medium State Board schools. The decision, based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, faced criticism for imposing a third language on students from Grade 1 to Grade 5. Various stakeholders, including regional linguistic groups and academics, raised concerns about cultural hegemony and the burden of learning three languages at a young age. The Maharashtra government, after facing backlash, revised the government resolution to make Hindi a 'general' third language. Students now have the option to choose any Indian language as the third language, provided at least 20 students opt for it. Despite this revision, opposition parties and academics continue to oppose the three-language policy, calling for its complete withdrawal. The controversy has also led to political realignments in the state, with parties using the issue to gain support ahead of local body elections. As the debate rages on, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has formed a committee to review the language policy under Dr. Narendra Jadhav's leadership. However, questions have been raised about Dr. Jadhav's expertise, and opposition parties remain firm in their demand to scrap the three-language policy altogether. The linguistic dispute in Maharashtra serves as a battleground between cultural identity, educational policy, and political interests, shaping the state's future language education landscape.

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Tags: Maharashtra, Linguistic debate, Hindi, Primary education, Language policy,