Maharashtra Government Revokes Two Government Resolutions On Three Language Policy

MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT REVOKES TWO GOVERNMENT RESOLUTIONS ON THREE LANGUAGE POLICY

Context:

• Ahead of the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra legislature, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revoked 2 controversial Government Resolutions (GRs) issued on April 16 and June 17, 2025, concerning the three-language policy in primary schools.
• The GRs, which initially made Hindi mandatory and later ‘generally’ preferred as the third language, had sparked widespread protests and political backlash over the “imposition” of Hindi.

BACKGROUND OF THE CONTROVERSY

• Initial GR (April 16, 2025): The 1st GR introduced Hindi as a mandatory third language for students from Class 1 to 5 in primary schools (both English and Marathi medium).
• Widespread Criticism: This decision immediately drew widespread criticism from various quarters, including opposition parties (Maha Vikas Aghadi – MVA, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena – MNS, Shiv Sena UBT), literary figures, language experts, and Marathi cultural organizations.
• Critics viewed it as an “imposition” of Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking students and a potential cultural onslaught against Marathi identity.
• Revised GR (June 17, 2025): Following initial backlash, School Education Minister Dada Bhuse announced that Hindi would not be mandatory.
• A revised GR was issued, stating that Hindi would “generally” be the third language, but allowed students to opt for any other Indian language if there were at least 20 students per class opting for the alternative.
• Continued Outcry: Many argued that the “20-student clause” effectively made Hindi the default third language, limiting choices for students in smaller groups and thus still constituting an indirect imposition.
  • Protests intensified, with activists burning copies of the GRs.
• CM’s Intervention: Amid growing concerns and rising political heat from the opposition and even allies within the ruling Mahayuti, CM Devendra Fadnavis intervened on June 23, announcing consultations with stakeholders before a final decision.
• Subsequently, on June 26, Minister Bhuse clarified that for Class 1 and 2, the third language would only be taught in speaking form, with reading and writing starting from Class 3, and reiterated that Hindi was not mandatory, with schools free to teach any of the 22 Indian languages.
• The “20-student clause” was clarified to apply only if the government had to provide teachers.

GOVERNMENT’S REVOCATION & FUTURE PLAN

• Decision: Following intense pressure, the state cabinet, led by CM Devendra Fadnavis, decided to cancel both the April 16 and June 17 GRs.
• New Committee: The CM announced the formation of a new committee led by Narendra Jadhav to re-examine the three-language policy in primary sections.
  • Narendra Jadhav: A prominent Indian economist, educationist, public policy expert, and writer.
  • He has served as a Member of the Rajya Sabha and is a former Vice Chancellor of a university and a former member of the Planning Commission.
  • Committee’s Mandate: The committee will determine:
    • From which class the three-language policy should be implemented.
    • How the implementation should take place.
    • What choices should be given to students regarding the third language.
  • The state government will take a final decision based on this committee’s report (expected in three months).
• Government’s Stance: Fadnavis emphasized that the government has always given the highest priority to Marathi, making it mandatory.
• He reiterated that their initial intention was for Hindi to be an optional third language, and students could explore any Indian language other than Hindi.
• Political Blame Game: Fadnavis criticized the opposition for “ugly politics,” alleging that the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government (under Uddhav Thackeray) had accepted the three-language formula report of the Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar committee without question, which recommended English and Hindi as compulsory languages from Class 1.
• He showed documentary proof of Thackeray’s government accepting the 150-page Mashelkar report.

THREE LANGUAGE FORMULA IN INDIA

• Origin: The three-language formula was first proposed by the Kothari Commission (1964-66) and formally adopted in the 1968 National Policy on Education (NPE).
• Original Framework:
  • Hindi-speaking states: Hindi, English, and a modern Indian language (preferably a South Indian language).
  • Non-Hindi-speaking states: Regional language, English, and Hindi.

• Objective: To promote multilingualism, national unity, and facilitate communication across diverse linguistic communities in India.
• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: The NEP 2020 largely retains the spirit of the three-language formula but emphasizes flexibility, stating that no language will be imposed on any state or student.
• It encourages choosing three languages, with at least two being native Indian languages.
• It advocates for home/mother tongue/local/regional language as the medium of instruction at least until Grade 5, and preferably till Grade 8 and beyond.
• Challenges: Implementation has faced resistance, especially in non-Hindi-speaking states (e.g., Tamil Nadu which largely follows a two-language system – Tamil and English), due to concerns about the perceived imposition of Hindi and shortages of qualified teachers.

SIGNIFICANCE OF MAHARASHTRA DECISION

• Political Implications: The revocation highlights the significant political sensitivity of language in Maharashtra, especially given the strong regional pride associated with Marathi (Marathi Asmita).
• The ruling Mahayuti (BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar’s NCP) faced pressure from both the opposition and internal dissent, particularly from allies sensitive to regional sentiments.
• The decision effectively defused a major agitation planned by Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS.
• Focus on Consultations: The formation of the Dr. Narendra Jadhav committee signals a move towards a more consultative and inclusive approach to policymaking on sensitive issues like language in education.
• Upholding Linguistic Diversity: The controversy shows the importance of balancing national integration with the preservation of linguistic diversity and regional identity, a core principle often debated in India’s education policy.

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