Mumbai: Maharashtra's School Education Minister Dada Bhuse clarified on Wednesday that Hindi instruction for students in classes 1 to 5 is voluntary, not compulsory, following swift amendments to a controversial government order (GR).
The state government initially issued an order late Tuesday night mandating Hindi as the third language in Marathi and English medium schools. However, facing immediate opposition from various groups, the government revised its order on Wednesday, replacing the term "mandatory" with "generally" regarding Hindi's status as the third language.
Minister Bhuse, addressing media, explained the revised policy: interested students can now choose a third language starting from class 5. Schools will be required to arrange instruction for any Indian language, including Hindi, if at least 20 students per grade demand it. For smaller groups, the third language will be taught online. "The decision to select a third language is left to students and their parents," Bhuse stated.
Defending the inclusion of Hindi as the typical third language option, Bhuse cited its widespread use in daily public communication and its importance for students' future prospects.
"After 12th standard, the Union government has given importance to scores in the third language as well. In such a policy, students from Maharashtra should not fall behind," he argued, adding that learning Hindi would benefit students in higher education. He noted Hindi is already taught from class 5 in many Marathi and English-medium schools.
Concurrently, Bhuse emphasized the non-negotiable status of Marathi language instruction. He declared teaching Marathi compulsory in all medium schools across the state, including English-medium institutions.
Strict action, including potential cancellation of registration, will be taken against schools failing to comply with Marathi teaching requirements after initial warnings. "If Marathi education is not given in any medium school, action will be taken," he warned.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also confirmed that Hindi teaching would be voluntary, aligning with the amended order. The use of Devanagari script remains mandatory for teaching Marathi.
The policy shift drew criticism. Pro-Marathi organizations accused the government of a "backdoor" reintroduction of Hindi emphasis, while the opposition Congress party condemned the move as "stabbing" the Marathi people. Critics also pointed to ambiguity in the term "generally" used in the revised order.
Addressing a decline in Marathi-medium education, Bhuse acknowledged falling enrolments in many Marathi schools, including those run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and stated the government was open to suggestions for improvement. Separately, he announced plans to appoint approximately 9,000 new teachers within the next one-and-a-half months.